Bhubaneswar: The stunning win of Donald Trump in the recently concluded keenly fought battle to the White House has made the pro-Khalistani groups very jittery.
Under the Biden administration, the pro-Khalistani groups had a field day in America. This was evident from the Feb 2024, when in a surprising turn of events, the United States allowed Sikhs to hold a referendum for Khalistan, despite objections from India. As many as 1.27 lakh Sikhs cast their votes in San Francisco, waving Khalistan flags, and chanting slogans of independence. And the referendum has become a point of contention between the United States and India.
Significant fact here is the Khalistan referendum in 2022, held at the Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, was initiated by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun – an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship, and in Oct 2023, the U.S. Justice Department announced it had foiled a plot to assassinate Pannun in New York City. An Indian national was charged in the alleged murder-for-hire scheme, and has pleaded not guilty.
Panun, who heads the organization Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), had earlier claimed before American media that on Jun 17, 2023, Nijjar told me that he was informed by the Canadian intelligence officials that there is a serious threat to his life and he might be killed. He also said that assassins were coming for me as well, Panun added.
On 2 July 2023, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was set on fire (causing minor damage) by the pro-Khalistani groups.
WHO IS NIJJAR?
A designated Khalistani terrorist by NIA, he was last year shot dead by gunmen outside a Gurudwara in British Colombia in Canada. And the Justin Trudeau govt claimed the assassination was done by Indian intel agencies. India rejected the charges. The bilateral relationship turned frosty this October with both countries expelling out the respective Ambassadors.
HINDU SABHA TEMPLE ATTACK
On Sunday, November 3, 2024, pro-Khalistani groups congregated before the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton and held a demonstration. Tensions and the demonstrations became physical and assaultive, reads a statement by the Peel regional police.
The Peel Regional police have formed a Strategic Investigation Team (SIT) to apprehend the perpetrators involved in the violent demonstration at a Brampton Mandir.
As per a police release, Police began investigating several offences that occurred during the demonstration, many of which were captured on video,(some video images of the fateful day are given below); including individuals using flags and sticks to assault people.
The release added that one of the individuals has since been identified as 35-year-old Inderjeet Gosal of Brampton.
It said, “On November 8, 2024, he was arrested and charged with Assault with a Weapon. He was released on conditions and is to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.”
WHO IS INDERJEET GOSAL?
35-year old Inderjeet Singh Gosal, sometimes referred to as “Pannun’s bodyguard” because he is often seen with the lawyer when he’s travelling in Canada, is son of Harpal Signh who owns trucking company, Khalistan Transport. In the mid-1990s, Harpal was jailed in India for two years under the country’s anti-terrorist laws. He is a resident of Brampton.
Gosal was the coordinator of a Canada-wide referendum on independence for India’s Sikh-majority Punjab state held in 2022. He had stepped into the role vacated by Nijjar, a couple of months after his death.
Gosal was leading the violent demonstration before the Hindu Mahasabha Temple in Brampton.
THE POWER BEHIND GOSAL
As per IDSA strategic research analyst Abhisekh Verma, at the outset, Canada's approach toward pro-Khalistan activities was largely influenced by three overarching factors:
- Cold War politics,
- Political freedom of expression,
- Vote bank politics.
He explained,
- During the Cold War, successive Canadian Governments, irrespective of parties, provided least priority to India’s sensitivities.
- While tolerating anti-India activities on Canadian soil, they adopted a lenient approach towards pro-Khalistan elements.
- However, the political dynamics changed since the end of Cold War.
- But the Canadian Government maintained that the right to freedom of expression was important and advocating Khalistan's homeland in Punjab was not illegal.
- Vote bank politics largely influences the current Justin Trudeau Government’s attitude towards the Khalistani movement.
Reports suggest, under the Trudeau govt, the Canadian police intelligence unit protects the anti-India forces. In July this, Police have warned Gosal that his life faces a threat.
TRUMP – TRUDEAU DIVIDE
President-elect Donald Trump, during the course of campaign, has notably levied several criticisms at Canada government. In the past, trump directly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau..
Taking an aim at Trudeau, Trump has previously accused him of being "two faced," "weak" and a "far-left lunatic." The relationship between the two deteriorated after the G7 meeting in Charlevoix, Que., in 2018, and didn’t recover thereafter.
Donald Trump 1.0 is evident of keeping the Khalistani elements in tight leash. The pro-Khalistani groups raised their heads in 2022. And the heat is evident on pro-khalistani leader and leader of New Democratic Party (NDP) in Canada, Jagmeet Singh. His post on X shows the jitteriness.
He wrote on X, “No matter the outcome of US Elxn (Elections), let me say this: Hope is always better than fear and division. Tomorrow, we’ll be ready to stand up for Canada.”
The words in his post ‘fear’ and ‘division’ are being inferred as “fear of Trump policies towards Trudeau govt.” And latching on the word “division”, many Khalistani supporters are urging Jagmeet Singh to ally with Justin Trudeau for the 2025 elections.
