Activist shooting reinforces demand for Sikh org public inquiry role

A targeted attack on the home of a Sikh activist who was an associate of late community leader Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey (BC, Canada) has reinforced Sikh org demands to be given “intervener status” in a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada.

The home of Simranjeet Singh, near the 2800 block of 154 Street, had approximately 20 shots fired at it, hitting his car and his front-door with an automatic weapon shortly after the local activist parked outside and entered around 1am on 1st February. Bullets narrowly missed his young children and wife inside.

Prior to the attack, similarly to Shaheed (martyr) Nijjar’s situation, Simranjeet Singh had been in touch with local police to report he was being followed and likely to be attacked. Police inaction on the situation has once again shone a spotlight on Canadian authorities’ neglect of Sikh safety in the country, an issue which many Sikhs find particularly worrying due to the assassination of Nijjar in June.

Simranjeet Singh is an activist part of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara sangat (Sikh congregation) who has been involved in local organizing and advocacy for Khalistan (free Sikh homeland movement). Following the shooting, spokesperson of BC Gurdwaras Council Moninder Singh spoke to Canadian media, underlining Simranjeet Singh’s Khalistan advocacy, including helping to arrange a recent (26th January) Indian High Commission protest, which has made him a target. Attendees of these protests have previously complained to authorities about being filmed by High Commission staff.

Moninder Singh later answered questions at a press briefing at Surrey Guru Nanak Gurdwara in the Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar hall, where he emphasized “there is no doubt the Indian State has a hand in what transpired last night”. Singh also revealed various activists say they are still being surveilled, and have raised it with Canadian authorities. With this in mind, Moninder Singh pressed ongoing demands to have Indian interference in Canada adequately investigated, including influence in Sikh spaces, academia, media and beyond, and not just within the electoral process as is currently being examined in an inquiry.

You can watch a clip of the briefing here, via Sikh influencer and activist Gurkeerat Singh @KothaGuru.

Following the briefing, a joint press release (see below) between Ontario Gurdwaras Committee, BC Gurdwaras Council and World Sikh Organization of Canada was released, affirming a joint demand for these Sikh leadership representative groups to be included in the ongoing public inquiry into “Foreign Interference in the Federal Electoral process and Democractic Institutions”.

Last year (2023), a series of incidents revealed India’s anti-Sikh transnational repression agenda. Assassinations of activists Shaheed Bhai Paramjit Singh Panjwar in Pakistan and Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada were celebrated by Indian nationalists (including prominent social commentators and media), whilst the suspected poisoning of Shaheed Bhai Avtar Singh Khanda in the UK came just months after an Indian military figure promised he would soon be “eliminated”.

An attempt to assassinate Sikhs For Justice General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in his home city of New York was foiled by the FBI, leading to an arrest of an Indian national in Czech Republic. An undercover FBI agent reported the man – known trafficker Nikhil Gupta – told him “We have many targets”, when attempting to pay for the murder of Pannun, who has been leading the global Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) movement.

Concerns about Indian nationalist criminals in Canada and beyond have been amplified with finding of gangs using Hindutva (Hindu extremist) slogan “Jai Shri Ram” in threatening letters attempting to extort businesses in BC and Alberta.

Speaking on this issue, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:

“Many of these Indian nationalist Hindutva criminals in foreign countries act with reckless impunity because they feel in the worst case scenario they get deported, and sometimes to a heroes welcome as the case of Vishal Jood of Australia shows, who was celebrated back in India after being deported for running a street gang targeting Sikh critics of India.

“Further to this, the hand of the Indian State in the direct targeting of influential Khalistan activists across the world is clear. Last year this issue was exposed to the world and this year Sikhs are expecting action from governments on it. The USA seem to be leading the way with the effort to extradite and prosecute one Indian State terrorist, and Canada will be expected to do the same. Meanwhile, in the UK Rishi Sunak seems to be doing everything he can to avoid addressing the issue, which is telling and concerning.”

Media inquiries- media@Sikhpa.com.