Canada has arrested Khalistani terrorist Inderjeet Singh Gosal on multiple charges including possession of arms, and extremist activities among others. A key aide of Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Gosal rose to ranks in US-based Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023.
The arrest comes as both India and Canada engage under new leadership of Canadian PM Mark Carney to improve the ties that went sour during Justin Trudeau’s tenure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Mark Carney during the G7 summit this year, following which, other top officials of both countries held meetings eyeing to improve the relationships. India, Canada ties hit a roadblock after Trudeau accused India of playing a role in the killing of Hardeep Nijjar. The accusations, however, did not materialise and Trudeau had to face strong opposition in his country.
Who is Inderjeet Singh Gosal?
Often referred to as the lieutenant of SJF’s general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, Gosal has proactively participated in Khalistan referendum movement. He was arrested last year in November as well in connection with a violent attack on a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area.
When Hardeep Nijjar was killed in British Columbia in 2023, Gosal took the charge of the SFJ group. He has also served as personal security officer (PSO) of Pannun.
Two years after the killing, he told a Canadian news website that he had received multiple warnings from police about his life being in danger.
“I have to continue the campaign for the call for a referendum,” he had told the outlet. “As a result of being the organizer of Khalistan Referendum, I am facing an imminent threat to my life from the agents and proxies of the government of India,” he added.
Khalistan Referendum
Khalistan Referendum refers to a demand of an independent Sikh state — Khalistan. The movement gained momentum after anti-Sikh killings and riots took place following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Gosal and many others like him call the killings “genocide”, claiming that it forced thousands of Sikhs to leave their homes behind and move to Canada.
Gosal is close to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen. Pannun is from Punjab and was declared an ‘individual terrorist’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in July 2020. His organisation SFJ has also been declared a terrorist outfit by the Indian government.
He has tried to spread his agenda through multiple events by attempting political outreach and repeated threats. However, none of them has been able to materialise due to the strong diplomatic ties of other countries with the Government of India.