Vancouver: Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based pro-Khalistan group, has issued a fresh threat to “siege” the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Thursday. The group accused Indian consulates in Canada of running spy networks targeting Khalistanis, and released a poster depicting the new Indian High Commissioner, Dinish Patnaik, with a target on his face.
SFJ urged Indo-Canadians with planned visits to the Vancouver consulate to reschedule. In its statement, the group claimed the alleged surveillance has been ongoing, describing threats as so severe that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had to offer witness protection to Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who succeeded Hardeep Singh Nijjar as head of the Khalistan Referendum campaign following Nijjar’s death.
The allegations include that Indian diplomatic missions are engaged in espionage and intimidation of Khalistan activists residing in Canada. SFJ references comments by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, made in Parliament on September 18, 2023, concerning investigations into Indian agents’ suggested role in Nijjar’s killing.
Canadian internal reports recently acknowledged that extremist Khalistani groups, such as Babbar Khalsa International and the International SYF (both listed as terrorist organisations under Canada’s law), are receiving financial support from individuals and networks within Canada. These groups now reportedly operate more covertly, often without formal association to any recognised organisation.
As of now, neither India’s Ministry of External Affairs nor the Indian Consulate in Vancouver have issued an official comment in response to SFJ’s demand and allegations.
