Although Canada was quickly to implicate India in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, sources believe that Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) orchestrated the murder.
Sources cited by India Today said ISI had hired criminals to kill Nijjar and had been pressuring him to fully support gangsters who arrived in Canada in the past two years. However, Nijjar's inclination was towards the former Khalistani leaders.
The sources also believe that following Nijjar's killing, the ISI is now looking out for his replacement and is preparing to gather pro-Khalistan terrorists in Canada.
A diplomatic row erupted after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently alleged "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on his country's soil on June 18 in British Columbia.
Later, New Delhi rejected Canada's claim as "absurd" and "motivated".
India also announced temporarily suspending issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country.
On Tuesday, India asked the United Nations member states not to allow "political convenience" to determine responses to terrorism, extremism and violence.
Addressing the 78th UN General Assembly session, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said respect for territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs cannot be "exercises in cherry picking" as he asserted that the days when a few nations set the agenda and expected others to fall in line are over.
Meanwhile, a prominent Indian-American businessman in New York, Sant Singh Chatwal said that more than 99 per cent of the Sikhs love India, and there is a very small number who support Khalistan, adding that those extremist elements who are talking about the issue have never ever been to Punjab.
Speaking to ANI, Chatwal said, “There’s hardly anybody who’s supporting Khalistan…There’s some sort of big miscommunication going on…We all Sikhs, everybody, more than 99 per cent, we love India. India is our country…Nobody’s interested in Khalistan.”
“I am very clear that there are very, very less people over here (supporting Khalistan). I don’t know who’s funding them, they have never been to Punjab. I am proud to be a Sikh. I am in this country for more than 50 years,” he added.
He also praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the Sikhs are proud of what he has done for the community.
“India under the leadership of PM Modi has done a great job. He opened the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikhs. He has done a lot for the Sikhs,” said Chatwal.
“Even with PM Modi being there, we are very proud of what he has done for Sikhs. I am openly saying, there is hardly anybody who’s supporting Khalistan,” he added.
He further said that more than 99 per cent of the Sikh community love India and consider it as their country, adding that those who talk about Khalistan, have never been to Punjab.
“I am afraid to say the people who are talking about Khalistan, have never been to Punjab. I don’t know what they are thinking about it, they are very less. Whether they are in Canada, or in America, there is no one to support them,” he said.
Speaking on India-Canada diplomatic row over killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Chatwal said, “This has become a political tension between the two countries and there’s some sort of big miscommunication going on.”
Early last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an explosive statement accusing the Indian government of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.
Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
India has suspended its visa services in Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing.
Amid strained ties, India issued an advisory for its citizens and those who are travelling to Canada to exercise “utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” in the country.
Chatwal emphasised that people from the Sikh community are in prominent position in India, and have served at many prestigious positions.
“Sikhs are in very prominent positions in India. We have a Sikh as one of the ministers, Hardeep Singh Puri. Sikh ambassador Sandhu sahab (Indian envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu) is in Washington, DC,” the businessman said.
He added, “We, as a Sikh community in North America, are enjoying such a good facility. We love India, we visit India. In India, Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, and Giani Zail Singh was the President for five years. We have the Army chief, Air Force chief, Navy chief…in very prominent positions”.
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