How Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing has led to rise in Khalistan terror in US, Canada

The threat of the Khalistan movement is growing overseas and Indian diplomatic facilities have become regular targets. The latest attack has been on the Indian consulate in San Francisco, United States. The building was set ablaze between 1.30 am and 2.30 am on Sunday allegedly by Khalistani supporters. This is the second attack on the consulate in five months; the first was in March.

Diya TV, a local channel, shared a video, which was released by Khalistani supporters, which showed the consulate on fire. The blaze was brought under control by the San Francisco fire department. No staff was harmed in the attack and no major damages were reported to the building.

Supporters of the Khalistani movement, a separatist movement seeking to establish a sovereign state for Sikhs in India’s Punjab, released a video of the attack. Cameras were set up outside the consulate to capture the arson and send out a message to India.

Avenging the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar?

The attack on the Indian consulate in San Francisco is reportedly linked to the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the militant outfit Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), who was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on 18 June. He was a wanted man in India for terror-related activities and had links to outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Khalistani groups have been attempting to link Nijjar’s death to the work of Indian intelligence agencies.

Some reports in the media suggest that SFJ was responsible for the fire at the Indian consulate.

ARSON ATTEMPT AT SF INDIAN CONSULATE: #DiyaTV has verified with @CGISFO @NagenTV that a fire was set early Sunday morning between 1:30-2:30 am in the San Francisco Indian Consulate. The fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Department, damage was limited and no… pic.twitter.com/bHXNPmqSVm

— Diya TV – 24/7 * Free * Local (@DiyaTV) July 3, 2023

Khalistani groups have also released a poster targeting the Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, after the arson. In the new poster, Sandhu and TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco, have been accused of playing a role in the killing of Nijjar.

Khalistani activity has seen a further rise in the United States and Canada after Nijjar’s killing.

Two Indian diplomats in Canada were also targeted in a poster titled “Kill India” reportedly circulated by Sikh extremists. They were accused of playing a role in the terrorist’s death. The poster, which was doing the rounds on social media, featured photographs of India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma and Consul General in Toronto Apoorva Srivastav. Above their images, the caption read, “‘Faces of Shaheed Nijjar’s Killers in Toronto”.

The posters are an invitation to a rally, “Khalistan Freedom Rally”, planned for 8 July, which will start from Great Punjab Business Centre Malton in Toronto. The march is expected to culminate at the Consulate General of India.

After the KTF chief was killed, there have been several anti-India protests by Khalistani supporters in the US and Canada.

A criminal offence, says US

Sunday’s arson at the consulate has evoked strong reactions from the United States. The US state department condemned the act of violence.

“The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the U.S. is a criminal offense,” wrote Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US state department, on Twitter.

The U.S. strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the U.S. is a criminal offense.

— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) July 3, 2023

Reacting to the posters, Canada said on Tuesday that it takes its “obligations regarding safety of diplomats very seriously”.

Canadian minister of foreign affairs Melanie Joly said in a statement, “Canada takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously. Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8th, which are unacceptable.”

“We know that the actions of a few do not speak for an entire community, or Canada,” she added.

My comment regarding some of the promotional material circulating for a planned protest on July 8. pic.twitter.com/yYoWDCvAdi

— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) July 4, 2023

‘Don’t give space to Khalistanis’

India has been raising alarm over the growing Khalistani activities overseas.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the attack on the Indian consulate. “We condemn in strong voice the attempt to set on fire the Indian Consulate in San Francisco (by Khalistan supporters). These people have become enemy of India and Sikhs. They are playing into the hands of ISI,” BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa told news agency PTI on Tuesday.

On Monday, after the poster controversy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it would impact bilateral relations. “We have requested our partner countries like Canada, the United States, the UK and Australia not to give space to the Khalistanis. This will affect our relations. We will raise this poster issue with the government[s] of these countries,” Jaishankar told ANI.

“Radical Khalistani views are harmful not only to us nor for them or our relations,” he added.

The Indian government is also expected to serve a demarche to the Justin Trudeau government this week asking it to take action against the Khalistan extremists for naming and threatening Indian diplomats, according to a report in The Hindustan Times.

The Indian High Commission in Canada has requested the government to take comprehensive safety precautions and provide escorts for the High Commissioner and two Consul Generals in the country until the overall threat subsides. New Delhi has summoned Canadian High Commissioner over Khalistani extremists’ threats against the diplomats.

The rising Khalistani threats

It’s in Canada, the US, Australia and the UK, where anti-India activities by Khalistani sympathisers have seen a rise.

Last month, the display of a controversial tableau glorifying the assassination of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi during a “Nagar Kirtan” procession in Brampton, Canada, sparked widespread outrage. Hindu temples have been vandalised and desecrated with pro-Khalistani slogans in Canada on several occasions. A Khalistan referendum was also organised by Sikhs for Justice last year.

Their presence is growing in the US. Khalistan supporters had in March allegedly attacked Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Videos circulating on social media show them breaking doors and barging into the office while loud Punjabi music played in the background. A large number of Khalistan sympathisers also staged a protest at Times Square in New York in March to express support for the fugitive radical preacher Amritpal Singh. There was a gathering outside the Indian embassy in Washington DC, where they attempted to incite violence.

In Australia, there was an attack on the Indian consulate in Brisbane in March and over the past few months, several temples were vandalised with anti-India graffiti across the country. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit Down Under, he discussed the Khalistani issue with his counterparty Anthony Albanese.

In the UK, the situation is familiar. An attack on the Indian High Commission in London was foiled in March. Khalistani referendums have been organised in the country and anti-India protests by separatist groups have been held in the past few years.

With inputs from agencies

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