Sikh Groups Urge Closure of Indian Consulates After Diplomatic Expulsions and RCMP Allegations

Representatives of a Sikh temple in British Columbia and a Sikh independence advocacy group are calling on the Canadian government to shut down India’s consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, saying their communities will not feel safe otherwise.

The demand follows Canada’s decision to expel six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, after the RCMP announced it had evidence linking Indian diplomatic officials to alleged crimes in Canada. Police say these activities include homicide, extortion, and surveillance targeting supporters of the Khalistan independence movement.

The controversy is tied to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in June last year. Nijjar was the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., where Sikh community members gathered at a news conference to express concern over ongoing safety threats.

Gurkeerat Singh, a spokesperson for the gurdwara, said the expulsion of diplomats does not go far enough. He argued that as long as Indian consulates continue operating in Canada, Sikh community members will remain vulnerable. According to him, the presence of these offices creates fear rather than reassurance among Sikhs.

India has strongly denied the allegations, rejecting claims that its diplomats were involved in coercive intelligence-gathering on South Asian Canadians or that any such information was passed on to criminal groups.

Jatinder Singh Grewal, a member of Sikhs for Justice, said tensions have escalated since Canada expelled an Indian diplomat in September last year. He claimed that, based on RCMP briefings, threats against Sikhs in Canada have increased rather than diminished.

Speaking via video link, Grewal said India views the demand for self-determination in Punjab as a serious challenge and is determined to suppress it. He described Indian consulates as “houses of terror” and insisted they should be closed to prevent further intimidation or violence.

Grewal also referenced the earlier expulsion of Pavan Kumar Rai, who had headed an Indian intelligence agency operating out of Ottawa. On Monday, Canada announced the expulsion of six additional Indian diplomats, including Sanjay Kumar Verma, after the RCMP said it wanted to question them in connection with violent activities on Canadian soil.

India responded swiftly by expelling six Canadian diplomats, deepening the diplomatic standoff between the two countries.

In September 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly stated that Canadian intelligence agencies were investigating credible allegations linking the Indian government to Nijjar’s killing. Since then, four Indian nationals have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the case.

Grewal argued that those accused of carrying out the shooting were not the central figures in the alleged plot. He said the more serious issue was the collection of information on Sikhs in Canada and the alleged sharing of that intelligence with criminal actors to threaten and harm community members.

RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme said investigations suggest that Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada may have used their official positions to conduct clandestine activities, including intelligence gathering, either directly or through intermediaries.

The RCMP has confirmed it is investigating three homicides across Canada over the past two years that may have links to India, though police have not clarified whether Nijjar’s killing is among them.

Grewal concluded that shutting down India’s consulates in Toronto and Vancouver would remove the diplomatic protection he believes enables such activities. He said allowing the situation to continue would pose a risk not only to Sikh Canadians, but also to Canada’s sovereignty and national security.