- By Nadine Yousif
- BBC News, Toronto
52 minutes ago
Image source: Getty Images
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A pro-Khalistan demonstration in Toronto following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar faced counter-protests
A dispute between Canada and India over the killing of a Sikh separatist has sparked rumors of political tensions among some Sikhs and Hindus in the diaspora, but others say it has been exaggerated.
Following Mr. Trudeau’s public accusation on Monday that India may have been behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, a clip surfaced on social media showing the leader of a U.S.-based Sikh separatist group, which includes Hindu Canadians calls for people to return to India.
“Their destination is India. Leave Canada. Go to India,” he said.
The video by Mr. Pannun, a dual Canadian-American citizen and friend of Mr. Nijjar, was widely shared online and in Indian media.
It caught the attention of Chandra Arya, a Liberal member of the Canadian Parliament.
Mr. Arya, who declined to comment to the BBC, added that he believed the comments were intended to “divide the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada.”
The exchange seemed to point to a sense of division within the Indian diaspora that Canada’s bombshell allegations did little to assuage. India denies orchestrating Mr Nijjar’s murder.
Tensions rose following Mr Nijjar’s murder. His supporters protested across Canada after his assassination, accusing India of being behind his death.
These demonstrations were met with counter-protests from supporters of the Indian government. Posters for the event that called Indian diplomats “murderers” were denounced by New Delhi officials.
India has also commented on vandalism against Hindu temples in Canada with “anti-India graffiti”.
Mr Nijjar was a vocal supporter of creating a separate homeland for Sikhs – Khalistan – in the Indian state of Punjab. India has strongly opposed the Khalistan movement and described Mr. Nijjar as a terrorist.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Pannun said his comments were not aimed at targeting all Hindus, but those aligned with the interests of the Indian government, which he said was majority Hindu.
Image source: Ranbir Grewal
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Ranbir Grewal, who lives in Toronto, condemned any inflammatory statements against Hindus or Sikhs in Canada
Indo-Canadians who spoke to the BBC said that while their community was surprised by Canada’s allegations, they had not experienced threats to their safety or increased tensions in everyday life.
Canada has a large Indo-Canadian population with close ties to both countries. There are 1.86 million residents of Indian descent in Canada from diverse religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Ranbir Grewal, a tech professional in Toronto who identifies as Sikh, said his social group is a mix of Hindu and Sikh Canadians – all of whom rejected statements that Hindu Canadians need to leave Canada.
“These are relatively offensive statements, and they provoke a reaction, people talk about them,” Mr. Grewal said.
Mr. Grewal also spoke out against the Indian government’s recently issued travel advisory for Canada, warning its citizens to exercise “utmost caution” when visiting the North American country due to the risk of violence.
“I handled meeting people the same way, my everyday life hasn’t changed much,” he said.
He said he believes inflammatory statements are being made towards certain factions of the Indian-Canadian community and do not reflect the majority opinion.
Radhika Sharma, a Hindu student living in Vancouver, said she viewed talk of a split as a “political” issue.
She added that some, including her Sikh friends, were upset by Mr. Trudeau’s accusation because his government had not yet provided public evidence to support the allegations.
“We don’t know if it’s true or not, but if it is, then there should be supporting evidence,” she said. “This will only lead to a dispute and a war between two major countries.”
Rupinder Liddar, a doctoral student at McGill University in Montreal whose research focuses on the Sikh Canadian community, said she has seen misinformation spreading online that linked the Khalistan movement to violence or terrorism.
However, she said Hindus and Sikhs in Canada have always had close ties, despite a sense of political division among some members of the Indo-Canadian community.
“There should not be tension between the Canadian Sikh and Hindu Canadian communities,” she said, “rather it is about interference by a foreign government in Canada.”