India-Canada relations: Rising tensions and historical context

The relations between India and Canada have reached their lowest ebb. For the Indian government, it is over the issue of North American country's perceived encouragement of Khalistani terrorism. For many members of the prosperous Sikh and Indian diaspora, it is the perceived and pervasive discrimination that affects the livelihood of the economically weakest sections of society.

Thus, the movement for Khalistan, the proposed Sikh homeland, has some extremists that have resorted to violence to achieve their aims. In 1985, Khalistani terrorists blew up an Air India Boeing airliner, killing 329 innocents, half of whom were themselves Sikhs. The Canadian government openly harboured the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

This has exacerbated tensions, leading to significant diplomatic rifts and instances of violence that threaten the peaceful fabric of Canadian society. The ultimate victims in all these cases are the innocents while the politicians and terrorists win. This is quickly getting to be on the verge of becoming intractable and complex. It affects not just Indo-Canadians, but NRIs across the United States and the world. As Dr Singh, a medical specialist who has lived and practised in India, Canada and the US, says,

“Solution finding is always the more challenging part because it never sits well with all the parties involved."

However, urgent action is needed on all sides before it gets out of control. As Ms Promilla Mathur, a retired international Civil servant in Delhi stated,

“There is no proof that the Khalistan leader was killed by India, but Canada has been accusing India for over a year anyway”.

The problem with governance in Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeatedly invokes the mantra of the rule of law, while ignoring the fact that it was Canada that failed to honour multiple Interpol Red Corner alerts against designated terrorists on its territory. Canada's current enforcement of its laws against hate speech and violence has been equally inconsistent. Canadian law, under sections such as Promotion of Hate Propaganda, Counselling Offense, and Public Incitement of Violence, criminalises hate speech and incitement to violence.

However, violent elements advocating for Khalistan operate with impunity. This has further led to gangster violence where a declared terrorist, Harijit Singh Nijjar, was killed by other gang members. Canada’s 2018 Public Safety Canada report highlighted the activities of pro-Khalistani extremists, yet action to curb these activities remains absent.  

Canada also has a complex history with its own Sikh and other non-white immigrant populations. Discrimination against these communities has been well-documented, often followed by belated apologies. One prominent example is the Komagata Maru incident in 1914, where hundreds of Indian passengers, primarily Sikhs, were denied entry into Canada and forced to return to India, where many faced imprisonment or death.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a formal apology without compensation in the House of Commons in 2016, acknowledging this dark chapter in Canadian history. However, Canada seems to have learnt little from its history or this apology, belated as it was. Worse, Trudeau’s government is propped up by Jagmeet Singh, the Khalistan-supporting head of the New Democratic Party. This “Jussi-Jaggi jugalbandi” is building its wealth and political power on the backs of the victims of terrorism, with no clear goal in mind. 

Where India erred

On its side, India's history with its own Sikh population includes the tragic 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Sikhs at the hands of the majority Hindu population. This was a particularly ironic betrayal given that Sikh warriors had historically protected Hindu communities from external threats over the last several centuries.

The Indian government has since issued formal apologies in Parliament and taken steps to rehabilitate the affected communities. Before and since 1984, Sikhs in India have risen to prominent positions in politics, business, and other fields, underscoring a broader integration effort. India has had a Sikh head of state or government for 15 of its 77 years of independence, a remarkable commentary on a community comprising less than 3% of the population. 

Despite these efforts, the Sikh community has been left feeling vulnerable. The spark for the current problem was provided by the 2020 farm laws. According to a senior non-Sikh member of the Delhi intelligentsia who requested anonymity, they were “rammed through by the ruling party, without any discussion”. It removed MSPs (Minimum Support Prices) and sparked widespread protests, particularly in Punjab, a state with a significant minority Sikh population.

Although the laws were repealed, the genie had been taken out of the bottle. The protests galvanized several groups, including those with secessionist tendencies, because they made the minority Sikh community feel vulnerable all over again. It also exposed a weak underbelly of the overall Indian economy where 43% of the population still relies on agriculture for a living, even though it accounts for only 18% of the country’s GDP. This percentage is even higher in states like Punjab.

So, the aftermath of these protests indicates a need for the Indian government to engage in introspection and address the concerns of its citizens comprehensively to prevent the rise of separatist movements. There must be comprehensive efforts to ensure that the tech industry in Gurgaon benefits all the people of the region, including Punjab and Haryana.  

Recently, Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, called for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to display portraits of Khalistani terrorists in gurdwaras. Such acts of sedition pose significant challenges to the Indian government's authority and highlight the ongoing struggle against extremist ideologies. Hopefully, the Jathedar is seeking to improve the welfare of the people because the current scenario only evokes memories of a warning issued by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Pakistan in 2011: "You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours." This metaphor is pertinent to both Canada and India today. Allowing extremist elements to operate unchecked within their borders can have dire consequences, not only for their immediate neighbours but for their own national security and societal cohesion.

Putting India-Canada relations back on track

What is the path forward? As a senior business leader in Delhi stated, after requesting anonymity, “Canada should only interfere if it has a comprehensive solution. Would they like to take in every citizen of Punjab and create a Sikh state within Canada? Or do they think that an independent land-locked state that destroys the territorial integrity of India will lead to peace?”

Although the comments are rhetorical, it is true that in the absence of such a clear and specific goal, both India and Canada need to reflect on their respective roles and responsibilities. Canada, this means addressing the inconsistencies in law enforcement and taking decisive action against hate speech and extremist violence. For India, it involves ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their religion, get a sense of belonging, economic support, and security. This brings us back to the Jussi-Jaggai jugalbandi: power for the politicians, with suffering for the masses. 

Requests for comment from the offices of Prime Minister Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh were not answered. Ultimately, the goal should be for both nations to foster environments where good governance and the consistent application of laws prevail. This approach would mitigate the risks of internal and external conflicts and pave the way for more stable and cooperative bilateral relations. That is the best way for all civilians in India and Canada to move forward towards more peace and prosperity.