91Ƶ

Skip to content

Surrey MP urges calm after intelligence links India to Nijjar murder

91ƵI know the community will be feeling very angry and frightened right now,91Ƶ Sukh Dhaliwal says
33939327_web1_230622-SUL-TempleShooting-Surrey_1
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, was shot and killed in his truck in the temple parking lot. File photos: Sikh Community of B.C./Twitter and Tom Zillich

The World Sikh Organization of Canada has called for 91Ƶimmediate protection91Ƶ for Canadian Sikhs who 91Ƶface a threat from India and its agents91Ƶ after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed there is 91Ƶcredible91Ƶ intelligence linking Indian government agents to the June 18 fatal shooting of Surrey Sikh temple president Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45.

The Guru Nanak Gurdwara president, an ardent supporter of securing an independent Sikh nation in India called Khalistan, was killed in the parking lot of the temple, located in the 7000-block of Scott Road. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has yet to publicly identify a suspect or reply to the Ƿ-𲹻91Ƶs request for comment on Trudeau91Ƶs revelation.

WSO President Tejinder Singh Sidhu said Monday its significance 91Ƶcannot be understated for Sikhs.91Ƶ

91ƵToday, the Prime Minister of Canada has publicly said what Sikhs in Canada have known for decades 91Ƶ India actively targets Sikhs in Canada. It should now be clear to all Canadians that the Government of India is a terrorist state that has brazenly engaged in extrajudicial killings not only on its own soil, but also on Canadian soil.91Ƶ

Sidhu demanded that 91ƵIndia cannot be allowed to disregard the rule of law and the sovereignty of foreign states. The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and other Sikh activists were terrorist acts that must be condemned by the international community. Those responsible for these killings must be immediately brought to justice. India should honour its international obligations and cooperate with the Government of Canada in investigating these matters.91Ƶ

Jinny Sims, NDP MLA for Surrey-Panorama, said any kind of interference by an 91Ƶoutside body on our sovereign country is unacceptable.91Ƶ

91ƵI91Ƶm against murder or killings of any kind, I91Ƶm against violence and people getting shot. People need to learn to start using words,91Ƶ she said. 91ƵWhat I can tell you is we will have to let the feds and the RCMP do their job but I can tell you one thing, it doesn91Ƶt matter which country it is, it is totally unacceptable.91Ƶ

Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal MP for Surrey-Newton, said Canada is a 91Ƶrule of law91Ƶ country and protecting its citizens and defending its sovereignty is of paramount importance. 91ƵWe91Ƶve got to make sure that we protect that.91Ƶ

Asked what kind of stick Canada has if Indian government agents were indeed involved in Nijjar91Ƶs murder, Dhaliwal said Trudeau has asked the Indian government to 91Ƶdo every effort to cooperate with Canadian agencies.91Ƶ

91ƵIndia might be a major power but when it comes to the protection of Canadian citizens we cannot leave any stone unturned. We will do everything possible to protect the Canadians and our sovereignty and that91Ƶs what we will continue to do.91Ƶ

91ƵI know the community will be feeling very angry and frightened right now,91Ƶ Dhaliwal added. 91ƵI think its good to make an appeal that we all remain calm and steadfast in our commitment and make sure that the rule of law brings the justice out, and that91Ƶs all I would like to say.91Ƶ

Premier David Eby said he too received a briefing from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) on the allegations.

91ƵI am deeply disturbed and angered by this information. Canadians across the country must be safe from the interference of foreign governments, including being targeted for threats or physical harm, including murder,91Ƶ Eby said. 91ƵOur democracy depends on it.91Ƶ

He said in light of the allegations his provincial government will 91Ƶenhance protection91Ƶ for British Columbians 91Ƶagainst the violence or threats of state actors.

91ƵI call, yet again, on the federal government to share all relevant information related to any known ongoing foreign interference and transnational organized crime threats with our provincial authorities and our government, so we may act in co-ordination and protect those at risk.91Ƶ

As the investigation continues, he added, he asks 91Ƶthose who are rightly angry to support justice and accountability through our formal legal systems. It is what makes us strong and is what distinguishes us from those who would act illegally to advance their own ends through threats, assassinations and attacks.

91ƵWe will win and there will be justice, because it must be so to protect what is best about the province we love,91Ƶ Eby said.



tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com

Like us on Follow us on   and follow Tom on



About the Author: Tom Zytaruk

I write unvarnished opinion columns and unbiased news reports for the Surrey Now-Leader.
Read more



(or

91Ƶ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }