Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh has reacted to the diplomatic tiff with Canada and India, calling on the Government of Canada to put diplomat sanctions against India and ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Network (RSS) in Canada.
Singh, who supported Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government to stay in power for over two years before pulling the plug last month, is known to be a Khalistani sympathiser. He had been featured alongside Khalistani extremists numerous times, including at a 2018 San Francisco rally where some speakers called for the creation of Khalistan. In February 2016, Singh appeared at an event organised by the U.K.-based National Sikh Youth Federation which advocates for an independent Khalistan.
Though he termed the killing of Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi a genocide, he had failed to denounce Talwinder Singh Parmar, believed to be the mastermind of the 1985 Air India bombing.
On Monday, he openly expressed support for the Canadian government's decision. "We support today's decision to expel India's diplomats and we're calling on the Government of Canada yet again to put diplomat sanctions against India in place, ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Network (RSS) in Canada, and commit to pursuing the most severe consequences for anyone found to have participated in organized criminal activity on Canadian soil," ANI quoted him.
He added that the Sikh community in Canada is stalked by fear about the revelation made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
"New Democrats are extremely worried about the information released by the RCMP commissioner today. Canadians, particularly, the Sikh community in Canada, have been stalked by fear, threats, harassment, and violence," the news agency reported quoting Singh.
He alleged that Canada has credible evidence linking Indian officials to Nijjar's murder. He stated, "Canada has long held credible evidence that the Narendra Modi government was involved in the murder of Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil."
Canada's RCMP on Monday held a meeting alleging India undertook a broad campaign against Indian dissidents including homicides and extortion. It had also used organised crime to target the South Asian community in Canada and interfered in democratic processes, police said.
The RCMP also alleged that it has charged “a significant number” of people with direct involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence over the past few years and is aware of more than a dozen threats to members of the South Asian community and the pro-Khalistan movement.
