Slain Sikh leader’s son wants Canada to take further action against India

The son of a prominent Sikh leader is urging the Canadian government to take further actions against India after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death may have been the result of foreign interference.

At a memorial outside the Guru Nank Sikh Gurwara Monday night, Balraj Nijjar said Trudeau's statement Monday confirmed something the Sikh community had suspected since his father's slaying.

“It’s more frustrating for me that something like this could happen in within Canada just because someone is using the right of freedom of speech just speaking out (about) what happened in India,” Balraj told reporters.

On June 18, Hardeep was gunned down by two masked individuals outside the gurdwara after evening prayer.

“My hope now is that Justin Trudeau and Canada take a proper stand against India as this is not just an issue that involves one local, random Sikh that was killed. He was a Sikh that represented the entire community. He was a Sikh and president of the gurdwara where he was shot and killed at,” Balraj said.

Hardeep, 45, was a Khalistani and supported the creation of a separate, independent Sikh state.

His son made a Canadian comparison to help the public understand the gravity of the killing.

“We need to put pressure on India. You can’t just come to a foreign country and kill a citizen who’s speaking against you. That’s like saying someone from Quebec wants a separate country and Canada kills them, that’s just silencing the matter, but it’s not right,” Balraj said.

The Indian government has denied the allegations, calling them “absurd and motivated.”

“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern,” it said in a statement.

Canada has expelled a top Indian diplomat and in retaliation, India has expelled its Canadian counterpart.