Ottawa
In address to the House of Commons on Wednesday night, Chandra Arya, a Canadian MP of Indian origin, emphasized that Khalistani violent extremism poses a significant issue within Canada and called for law enforcement agencies to treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
Arya pointed out that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has established a national task force focused on investigating Khalistani extremism. He stressed that terrorism transcends national borders and highlighted his own experience of being protected by the RCMP during a disruptive protest against him at a Hindu event in Edmonton.
He stated, ‘In Canada, we have long recognized and experienced the serious problem of Khalistani extremism,’ and asserted that any foreign interference in Canadian sovereignty is unacceptable.
The relationship between India and Canada has been strained following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations last year regarding the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India has firmly rejected these allegations, calling them ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated.’ Nijjar, who was considered a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in June 2023, and his murder is currently under investigation by the RCMP.
