The Canadian government has escalated its accusations against India, alleging that Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has orchestrated plots to target Sikh leaders in Canada. The claims were first reported by The Washington Post, where Canadian officials disclosed Shah’s alleged role in a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh leaders in Canada.
David Morrison, Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, told a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that he confirmed Shah’s involvement to the US-based newspaper. Morrison stated, “The journalist called me and asked if it (Shah) was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” without providing further details or supporting evidence. The High Commission of India in Ottawa and India’s foreign ministry have yet to comment.
India has dismissed prior accusations from Canada, labeling them baseless and denying involvement in actions against Sikh leaders. Historically, Indian authorities have called Sikh separatist leaders “terrorists,” viewing the demand for an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan, as a security threat. The 1980s and 1990s saw violent insurgency in India, including the tragic 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.
The diplomatic tension intensified in October when Canada expelled Indian diplomats, linking them to the 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader on Canadian soil. India responded by expelling Canadian diplomats.
This case is part of a broader pattern of India’s alleged targeting of Sikh leaders abroad. In a separate incident, US authorities charged former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav with attempting to orchestrate the murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an Indian critic and dual US-Canadian citizen, in New York City. The FBI has since issued warnings about potential retaliatory plots against Sikh leaders in the United States.
The mounting accusations have placed strains on Canada’s and the United States’ diplomatic relations with India, an ally seen as a strategic counterbalance to China in the Indo-Pacific region.
