Canadian Parliament on Tuesday observed a minute of silence to commemorate the one-year death anniversary of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a ‘designated terrorist’ by the Indian government.
Nijjar, head of the separatist organisation the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was shot dead on June 18, 2023 by two unidentified men in the parking lot of a gurudwara in Surrey. He was named by the National Investigation Agency as among the ‘most wanted’, and his name appeared on a list of 40 other ‘designated terrorists’ released by the Indian government.
Towards the end of the proceedings in the House of Commons on June 18, Speaker Greg Fergus stood up to announce, “Following discussions among representatives of all parties in the House, I understand there is agreement to observe a moment of silence commemorating Hardeep Singh Nijjar, assassinated in Surrey, British Columbia, one year ago today.”
Members of the House then stood up and observed a moment of silence.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada began after Canada alleged India’s involvement in the Nijjar’s killing. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2023 had said that, “Over the past number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”
“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” he had added.
Responding to the allegations, the Ministry of External Affairs deemed the accusations “absurd and motivated”.
Canada has arrested four Indian nationals in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Trudeau last week on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit.