Amid renewed India-Canada diplomatic ties, separatist group issues fresh threat, releases poster targeting Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik
As India and Canada cautiously resume diplomatic engagement, tensions have resurfaced with a fresh provocation from Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based pro-Khalistan outfit. The separatist group has threatened to “siege” the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Thursday, urging Indo-Canadians to postpone any routine consulate visits.
In an alarming escalation, SFJ circulated a poster depicting India’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, with a target symbol over his face. The group accused Indian consulates of running “spy networks” and conducting surveillance on Khalistani activists, particularly those involved in the controversial Khalistan Referendum campaign.
SFJ invoked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement from September 18, 2023, when he told Parliament that Indian agents’ role was being investigated in the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The outfit alleged that “two years on, Indian consulates continue surveillance operations against Khalistanis.”
The group also claimed that threats against activists have been so severe that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had to place Inderjeet Singh Gosal—who took over the Khalistan Referendum campaign after Nijjar’s death—under witness protection.
SFJ stated that the planned “siege” is aimed at demanding accountability for alleged espionage and intimidation on Canadian soil.
So far, there has been no official comment from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) or the Indian Consulate in Vancouver.
Khalistani Extremism: Canada’s Own Concern
This development follows an internal Canadian government report earlier this month, which admitted that extremist Khalistani networks continue to receive financial backing from individuals and groups within Canada, according to TVM Times.
The report specifically cited Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF)—both listed as terrorist organisations under Canada’s Criminal Code. While these groups no longer function under their original structures, authorities warned that their ideology and influence survive through smaller cells of individuals promoting the Khalistan cause.
The renewed threat underscores the fragility of Indo-Canadian ties, as extremist propaganda continues to overshadow diplomatic progress.
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