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India Turns The Heat On Khalistanis

Interpol issues Red Corner Notice against Karanvir Singh, a member of the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International believed to be hiding in Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News

The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, on Monday issued a Red Corner Notice against Karanvir Singh, a member of the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International.

Interpol updated its website by putting out a Red Corner Notice for the Khalistani leader.

According to intelligence sources, Singh is believed to be hiding in Pakistan and was a member of the pro-Khalistan terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International.

As per the Interpol portal, 38-year-old Karanvir Singh has roots in Punjab’s Kapurthala district.

Further, according to Interpol, Singh is wanted by India for criminal conspiracy, murder, offences related to the Arms Act, and Explosive Substances Act, raising funds for terrorist acts, conspiracy, and being a member of a terrorist gang or organisation.

A Red Corner Notice is a request to the law enforcement authorities of Interpol’s member countries to find and temporarily detain a person until extradition, surrender, or a similar legal process can take place.

Earlier, Interpol issued a Red Notice to all member countries against gangster Himanshu alias Bhau, who is believed to be living abroad.

Giving details, a spokesman of Haryana Police said Rohtak Police succeeded in getting a Red Corner Notice issued against a most wanted accused, who is believed to have fled abroad.

The Red Corner Notice against the wanted pro-Khalistani leader comes amid a diplomatic spat between New Delhi and Ottawa in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim of an India hand in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

New Delhi dismissed the allegations, calling them ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

At a news conference in New York, the Canadian PM, however, failed to present any evidence to back his claim of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing. Trudeau was repeatedly quizzed on the nature of the allegations but stuck to reiterating that there were “credible reasons” to believe that India was linked to Nijjar’s death.

“There are credible reasons to believe that agents of the Government of India were involved in the killing of a Canadian on Canadian soil. That is …there is something of utmost foundational importance in a country’s rule of law in a world where international rules-based order matters,” Trudeau said.

“We call upon the Government of India to take seriously this matter and to work with us to shed full transparency and ensure accountability and justice in this matter,” the Canadian PM added.

According to CBC News, the Canadian government invested both human and signal intelligence in a months-long investigation into Nijjar’s death. That intelligence includes communications involving Indian diplomats present in Canada.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, however, said no information has been shared by Canada with regard to the killing of Nijjar.

“We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada,” Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said during a briefing.

A designated terrorist in India, Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.

‘Terrorists have found safe haven in Canada’

Meanwhile, reacting to the India-Canada diplomatic row, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has said that terrorists have found safe haven in the North American country and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has this way of coming out with outrageous allegations.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister further added that he is “not surprised” by his comments as Trudeau comes out with “outrageous and substantiated allegations.”

“Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide. Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country”, said Sri Lankan Foreign Minister.

Taking a dig at Trudeau for honouring a former Nazi soldier in Canada’s parliament, he said, “I saw yesterday he had gone and given a rousing welcome to somebody who has associated with the Nazis in the past during the Second World War. So, this is questionable and we have dealt with it in the past. I am not surprised that sometimes PM Trudeau comes out with outrageous and substantiated allegations.”

On September 22, during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy’s speech in Canada’s Parliament, 98-year-old Ukrainian Yaroslav Hunka, who served in the first Ukrainian division, also known as the SS division “Galicia” during World War II was honoured by the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada.

ALSO READ-Sri Lanka Backs India on Canada’s Allegations

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Trudeau: Putting Self Above National Interest

In order to deflect attention from his own lapses, Trudeau has sought to pin the blame on India for a gangland murder of the sort that has become common in his country, writes Prof. Madhav Das Nalapat

There was a time when Canada was among the most desirable countries to be a resident of. The observance by citizens of law and order was the norm, and violence was rare. Not anymore.

It is astonishing to witness the casual, almost careless, manner in which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is governing a country that borders the United States and is in terms of territory among the largest in the world. To ensure a majority in the Canadian parliament, Trudeau has had to pander to a radical political party that is headed by an individual who is in close communication with groups engaged in the propagation of violence against select democracies.

The head of the party has been transparent about his backing for individuals who openly call for violence. Not merely that, they collect funds to be sent to the planners and perpetrators of such violence. All this is condoned by Trudeau in the name of “freedom of expression”. Osama bin Laden chose the wrong country to retire to, for Pakistan has long been honeycombed by security agents of the US, the victim of the 9/11 attacks. In Trudeau’s Canada, he would have been much safer, as indeed several individuals in that country are actively seeking to harm US interests on behalf of a superpower on the other side of the Pacific.

To most individuals, the taking out of Bin Laden in Abbottabad was a matter for celebration, but in Pakistan, the doctor who led the US to the location of the principal perpetrator of 9/11 was jailed. It is a measure of the depths of ingratitude of the US state for those who have done it service. That the man was not rewarded for his courageous and principled action but was sent to prison by the Pakistani authorities, without any visible protest from Washington.

Where gross injustices are concerned, it is a shame that none of the speakers used the rostrum provided by the UNGA to point to the manner in which the very Kurdish formations that broke the back of ISIS detachments have been under attack by President Erdogan as a consequence of the selling out of their territory and safety by President Trump. Or the way in which the people of Afghanistan were surrendered to the Taliban by President Biden in the name of ending a “forever war”. That mistake will cost the US dear, but by the time this becomes clear, Biden will have retired to Delaware to begin work on his memoirs.

“Use and throw” seems to have long been the watchword where US policymakers are concerned, so it comes as no surprise that several countries are beginning to look elsewhere in order to improve the security situation facing them.

However, when it comes to actions that seem tailor made to harm the national interest of the countries where they are being implemented, few would be able to beat the record of Justin Trudeau, under whose rule the quality of life in Canada has plummeted even as taxes have risen. A growing number of locations in 2020s Canada are beginning to resemble New York in the 1920s, the period when Mafiosi bloomed. Of course, rather than blame himself for the rise in violence, Prime Minister Trudeau is pointing to an imaginary “foreign hand”, in this case India. Scraps of planted and slanted news items placed in a few media outlets are all that the Canadian PM is able to offer as “proof” of his absurd claim.

It is impossible to believe that Trudeau has been kept unaware of the usually efficient security system in place in Canada of the way in which even a member of his own Cabinet has been known to be soliciting funds on behalf of his contacts for the express purpose of creating mayhem and committing murder in India. There was a time when, owing to the influence of a regional party in the state of Punjab, several Canadian citizens identified as hostile to India were given visas to enter India and seek to create mayhem in the world’s most populous democracy.

Fortunately, this is no longer the case, and Indian visas are these days being denied to those Canadian citizens connected to groups promoting violence and terror. Punjab in the 1980s went through hell as a consequence of the activities of the very elements who are (under the umbrella of state inaction being provided by Trudeau) seeking to bring back that hell in Punjab. Fortunately for Indo-Canadian relations, voters in Canada seem to be on track to ensure that the dynast with an obvious sense of entitlement who is now the country’s Prime Minister loses his present job.

However, so long as Trudeau remains in office, India needs to be on guard, given that his government depends for its survival on a few MPs that are close to a particular High Commission and to a particular embassy in Ottawa that are neighbours of India and are both fixated on jointly working to destabilize India. Judging by his behaviour, it is clear that Prime Minister Trudeau is ready to sacrifice his conscience at the altar of the high office he presently holds. Within the records maintained by the Canadian government, there exists voluminous evidence of the way in which a few citizens have been seeking to enrich themselves by fastening themselves to the cause of weakening India, aware that such an approach would lead to handouts from wealthy donors intent on the same objective.

Although it is unlikely that Trudeau would wish such information to become public knowledge, there may be whistleblowers in Ottawa who in the interests of transparency ensure that information on the activities of the proponents of violence and murder who are being backed by Trudeau become known to the Canadian public. The killings that are taking place in parts of Canada are the result of a falling out within the gangster community as a consequence of disputes over the distribution of the moneys earned through their activities. The deterioration in the degree of safety and security enjoyed by n citizens is the direct consequence of the inaction on the part of Trudeau to deal with the proliferation of criminal gangs that are operating in Canada.

In order to deflect attention from his own lapses, Trudeau has sought to pin the blame on India for a gangland murder of the sort that has become common in his country. Falsely accusing India of such a crime will, of course, earn Prime Minister Trudeau brownie points in the Peoples Republic of China, a country with which his family has long had a close association. Even better from Xi Jinping’s point of view, Justin Trudeau is seeking to decouple the Atlantic Alliance from India, a country that has become an essential partner in the common task of ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. He has been trying to get the US, the UK and Australia in particular to join him in condemning India. The bad news for him is that the relationship that has developed between India and the US in particular is far too strong for the exertions of Trudeau to shake.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been reported as having invited US President Joe Biden to be the Chief Guest at the 2024 Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Other reports are that the other Quad partners (Japan and Australia) are also being invited. Given the evidence pointing to gang rivalry as having been behind the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, it would be interesting to know why, months after that event, Trudeau felt compelled to go before the Canadian parliament and make the (wholly unsubstantiated) charge that the Government of India was behind the killing of Nijjar. It is not in Canada’s interest to have bad relations with India. The question arises as to why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau judged it to be in his interest to make such a false charge against the world’s most populous democracy, in the process pleasing the rulers of the world’s biggest authoritarian state.

ALSO READ: Sri Lanka Backs India on Canada’s Allegations

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Canadian Leaders’ Controversial Praise Of Nazi Sparks Outrage

This incident highlights how politicians can be easily influenced by vested interests, particularly those with foreign ties, and how they often prioritize political gains over their public positions….reports Asian Lite News

The spectacle of Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Parliament Speaker Anthony Rota, hailing a Nazi who served with the evil SS that was involved in genocide and war crimes is the latest example of how politicians in that country are manipulated.

Last week, Yaroslav Hunka, who fought for the Nazis as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, was called a hero by Rota, who thanked him “for all his service” and Trudeau joined in the standing ovation for him in Parliament.

The tribute to a Nazi by Canadian leaders, who claim to champion human rights, would have passed off as just a service to a particular Canadian group except that they were caught out when Jewish groups exposed the real past of the 98-year-old Nazi soldier.

After Hunka’s past became public, Trudeau on Monday shamefacedly apologised for honouring a Nazi saying: “This is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.”

(180710) — RIGA, July 10, 2018 (Xinhua) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a joint press conference with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (not seen in picture) in Riga, Latvia, on July 10, 2018. Trudeau pledged sustained commitment to Latvia’s security during his visit to Riga on Tuesday, saying that Canada would extend its leadership of the NATO battalion stationed in the Baltic country for four more years. (Xinhua/Janis)

Hunka lives in Rota’s constituency and the Speaker was roped in by supporters of the Nazis, showing how easy it is to get Canadian leaders to back questionable causes and dubious personalities in exchange for votes or other forms of support.

The incident illustrates the easy manipulation of politicians by vested interests – especially those with foreign linkages – and how readily they go along for easy political gains, regardless of their public stance.

After his praise of the Nazi was exposed, Rota told Parliament: “I am deeply sorry I offended many with my gestures and remarks. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.”

After Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had addressed Parliament on September 22, Rota pointed to Hunka, who was in the public gallery and said: “He is a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero and we thank him for all his service”.

Zelensky, who was unaware of Hunka’s war record, was trapped unawares in the pro-Nazi frenzy at Canada’s parliament that is forever passing judgments on other countries and preaching human rights and he joined in the ovation, giving a fist bump.

Rota said: “I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them.”

The speaker had said while introducing Hunka, that he is “a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians”.

The incident played into Ruassia’s accusations that Ukraine is run by neo-Nazis, even though Zelensky is himself Jewish.

Kremlin’s Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed outrage about the Canadian honour and said: “Many Western countries, including Canada, have raised a young generation that does not know who fought whom or what happened during the Second World War.”

Canada has given refuge to members of the Nazi forces, which had carried out the horrific genocide of 6 million Jewish people.

The Waffen-SS was declared to be a criminal organisation in World War II by the Nuremberg Trials held by the International Military Tribunal for Nazi war crimes.

Historians have documented atrocities committed by the division that Hunka served in against the people of Slovakia and Poland, murdering hundreds of people.

ALSO READ: Khalistan Supporters Gather At Canadian Embassies

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Controversy Erupts as Canadian Leaders Laud Former SS Member in Parliament

The incident illustrates the easy manipulation of politicians by vested interests – especially those with foreign linkages – and how readily they go along for easy political gains, regardless of their public stance…reports Asian Lite News

The spectacle of Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Parliament Speaker Anthony Rota, hailing a Nazi who served with the evil SS that was involved in genocide and war crimes is the latest example of how politicians in that country are manipulated.

Last week, Yaroslav Hunka, who fought for the Nazis as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, was called a hero by Rota, who thanked him “for all his service” and Trudeau joined in the standing ovation for him in Parliament.

The tribute to a Nazi by Canadian leaders, who claim to champion human rights, would have passed off as just a service to a particular Canadian group except that they were caught out when Jewish groups exposed the real past of the 98-year-old Nazi soldier.

After Hunka’s past became public, Trudeau on Monday shamefacedly apologised for honouring a Nazi saying: “This is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.”

Hunka lives in Rota’s constituency and the Speaker was roped in by supporters of the Nazis, showing how easy it is to get Canadian leaders to back questionable causes and dubious personalities in exchange for votes or other forms of support.

The incident illustrates the easy manipulation of politicians by vested interests – especially those with foreign linkages – and how readily they go along for easy political gains, regardless of their public stance.

After his praise of the Nazi was exposed, Rota told Parliament: “I am deeply sorry I offended many with my gestures and remarks. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.”

After Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had addressed Parliament on September 22, Rota pointed to Hunka, who was in the public gallery and said: “He is a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero and we thank him for all his service”.

Zelensky, who was unaware of Hunka’s war record, was trapped unawares in the pro-Nazi frenzy at Canada’s parliament that is forever passing judgments on other countries and preaching human rights and he joined in the ovation, giving a fist bump.

Rota said: “I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them.”

The speaker had said while introducing Hunka, that he is “a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians”.

The incident played into Ruassia’s accusations that Ukraine is run by neo-Nazis, even though Zelensky is himself Jewish.

Kremlin’s Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed outrage about the Canadian honour and said: “Many Western countries, including Canada, have raised a young generation that does not know who fought whom or what happened during the Second World War.”

Canada has given refuge to members of the Nazi forces, which had carried out the horrific genocide of 6 million Jewish people.

The Waffen-SS was declared to be a criminal organisation in World War II by the Nuremberg Trials held by the International Military Tribunal for Nazi war crimes.

Historians have documented atrocities committed by the division that Hunka served in against the people of Slovakia and Poland, murdering hundreds of people. 

ALSO READ-India-Canada Row: Trudeau Walks a Tightrope on World Stage

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Khalistan Supporters Gather At Canadian Embassies

In anticipation of the event organized by the Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Vancouver police shut down Howe Street’s 300 block, with a substantial police presence in the area….reports Asian Lite News

Vancouver police closed the 300 block of Howe Street in anticipation of the event — called by Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) — which came amid a heavy police presence.

Several Khalistan supporters rallied outside Indian diplomatic missions in the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation of India’s involvement in the murder of radical Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Sikh temple in Surrey on June 18 this year with Khalistanis across Canada holding Indian diplomats responsible for his death.

In downtown Vancouver, around 75 people gathered outside the Consul General of India on Monday chanting pro-Khalistani slogans, where demonstration was staged atop a large flag of India placed on the wet ground, the CBC news outlet reported.

Vancouver police closed the 300 block of Howe Street in anticipation of the event — called by Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) — which came amid a heavy police presence.

Meera Bains, a Sikh-Canadian journalist posted a video of the protest on X, which showed a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi garlanded with slippers.

She wrote: “Protest in front of the Indian consulate underway on Howe Street in Vancouver. So far a few dozen people but very organised with flags, signs, loud speakers, and PM Modi image on cardboard.”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of SFJ, which was banned by India in 2019, was also present during the protests in Vancouver, and said that they are here “to shut down every Indian Consulate in the world today because the Indian back face has come to the front face”.

While announcing the protests a week ago, Pannun had said that they would also be calling for the expulsion of High Commissioner Sanjay Verma.

Pannun, whose properties in Punjab were recently confiscated by the Indian government, had recently released a video with a view to divide Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada, asking all Hindus of Indian-origin to go back to their mother country.

In Toronto and Ottawa, around 70 people demonstrated in front of the Indian High Commission, calling India to cooperate with the Canadian government in the investigation of Nijjar’s murder.

Tensions flared between India and Canada following Trudeau’s allegations that India was behind the killing of Nijjar — a designated terrorist in India.

India rejected the allegations, calling them “absurd and motivated”.

Beginning this year, Khalistanis across the US, the UK, Australia and Canada have been calling referendums, vandalising Hindu temples and Indian missions and installations with spiteful anti-India graffiti.

Following Nijjar’s death in June, the Sikh radicals have unleashed a poster war across Canada, blaming Indian diplomats and High Commissioner Verma for the killing.

ALSO READ: India Seizes Khalistani Extremist Pannun’s Assets

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Trudeau’s China Connection Under Scrutiny

New Delhi miffed as Trudeau govt fails to rein in anti-India activities.(photo:IN)

When Trudeau was sworn in as Prime Minister in 2015, it was well known that his family had enjoyed close ties with China. The National Post reports about Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (Justin’s father) visit to China in the midst of a famine that killed 30 million, he came back to report that China was a model of central planning! Trudeau was still a child when his father Pierre introduced him to Mao Zedong. Within months of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the teenage Justin was with his family on a private visit to China (but fully supported by the Chinese State) during which his father took great pains to avoid criticizing China’s actions. A special article by Dr Sakariya Kareem on Trudeau family’s relationship with Communist China

In March 2023, a series of leaks from the Canadian Security & Intelligence Service (CSIS) hit the headlines in Canada. Of the many, the most explosive was one which claimed that Chinese agents had pursued an “influence” operation against Justin Trudeau since his earliest days as an opposition MP. Even more, damning is the book by Peter Schweizer, who writes in his “Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” that “Leftist Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has followed in his father Pierre’s footsteps in assuming the high office and using it to further the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.” This allegation has a history to it and it is therefore, not surprising that Prime Minister Trudeau chose to ignore the CSIS leaks on China’s interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections in Canada and instead focused his ire on India, alleging that New Delhi had carried out an assassination of wanted Khalistani extremist.  

When Trudeau was sworn in as Prime Minister in 2015, it was well known that his family had enjoyed close ties with China. The National Post reports about Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (Justin’s father) visit to China in the midst of a famine that killed 30 million, he came back to report that China was a model of central planning! Trudeau was still a child when his father Pierre introduced him to Mao Zedong. Within months of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the teenaged Justin was with his family on a private visit to China (but fully supported by the Chinese State) during which his father took great pains to avoid criticizing China’s actions. The elder Trudeau was explicit about framing the People’s Republic of China as a friend of Canada whose methods were not to be criticized. Peter Schweizer writes that the Trudeau family was in China in the immediate aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. The now-ex prime minister, along with his two sons, an 18-year-old Justin and 15-year-old Alexandre, got permission for a family vacation but were informed that they would be accompanied at all times by government minders! The elder Trudeau refused to offer any criticism of the crackdown, either during the trip or after perhaps beholden to the Chinese for having made his family vacation a success.

Pierre Trudeau had an open affinity for Communist China, states Tristin Hopper in the National Post, that would be strange even by the standards of 2023.  As a student, Pierre Trudeau had backpacked through China in 1949, just as Communist forces were completing their consolidation of the country. He visited again in 1960, in the midst of the Great Leap Forward, a disastrous program of national industrialization that ultimately led to the deadliest famine in human history, and ended up killing an estimated 30 million people in China. None of this was shown to Trudeau and his traveling companion Jacques Hebert – a Quebec journalist whom Trudeau would later appoint to the Senate. The pair’s Communist Party minders instead took them on a carefully staged tour featuring humming steel mills, fully stocked department stores and Chinese government officials reciting fantastical economic figures. The book, ‘Two Innocents in Red China’, penned by the senior Trudeau recalls his visit to China.

New Delhi, Sept 10 (ANI): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses a press conference on the G20 Leaders’ Summit, in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo)

Justin Trudeau, at his first press conference in China after becoming Prime Minister reminisced about first visit as a “young boy” adding that “The friendship and the openness towards China that my father taught me, I’m certainly hoping to pass on not only to my children but to generations of Canadians in the future.” His leadership of the Liberal Party was marked almost immediately by an odd affinity to China for a government that had never entirely been in the good graces of the Canadian public. This is best characterized by a 2013 quote at a Toronto fundraiser in which he picked China as the “administration he most admired.”  He went on to say, “There is a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime.” After successfully taking office in 2015, Trudeau would pursue what he called a “reset” with the People’s Republic of China. After his first meeting with President Xi in 2016, Trudeau said, “Canada wants to increase engagement with a peaceful, stable, and prosperous China,” He also thanked the PRC for the “great deal of warmth and respect” he found there.

But this dance with the dragon did not take long to sour and by 2018, China was openly kidnapping Canadian citizens in a bid to swing extradition proceedings against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. By late 2022, Xi Jinping was publicly dressing down the Canadian Prime Minister. “We should have conversations in a respectful way, otherwise, the result can’t be predicted,” Xi told Trudeau in a comment that many perceived as a veiled threat. The Chinese leader was objecting to Trudeau’s alleged leak of the details of an earlier conversation the two had shared. In November 2022, Trudeau said “unfortunately we’re seeing that countries, state actors from around the world, whether it’s China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies.” The hard fact is that Trudeau faces increasing isolation, not just for his perceived tilt towards China, but also for his unsubstantiated allegations against India. The political repercussions of this action will be felt across the globe for some time, before the dust settles. Of interest is how China has used its influence operations globally to penetrate government systems. The CSIS leaks are a lesson for Canada and its governance systems, but is Justin Trudeau listening?

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India-Canada Row: Trudeau Walks a Tightrope on World Stage

(180710) -- RIGA, July 10, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a joint press conference with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (not seen in picture) in Riga, Latvia, on July 10, 2018. Trudeau pledged sustained commitment to Latvia's security during his visit to Riga on Tuesday, saying that Canada would extend its leadership of the NATO battalion stationed in the Baltic country for four more years. (Xinhua/Janis)

Trudeau faced the stark reality of standing alone on the world stage, pitted against India, a nation with a population 35 times larger than Canada and a rapidly growing economy….writes Jasneet Bedi

In the hustle and bustle of New York’s United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders converge to discuss the globe’s most pressing issues, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau found himself standing alone, his once-dazzling smile now fading amidst the mounting pressures of international diplomacy.

The spotlight had firmly fixed on Trudeau due to a startling allegation he made earlier in the week, one that sent shockwaves across diplomatic circles and raised eyebrows around the world. Trudeau claimed there was credible evidence suggesting the Indian government’s involvement in the extrajudicial killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil. The victim? A Sikh activist, whom India had accused of terrorism.

Delhi vehemently denied any wrongdoing, further complicating an already strained relationship between the two nations.

As reporters pressed Trudeau for answers, he carefully navigated the diplomatic minefield, stating, “We’re not looking to provoke or cause problems. We’re standing up for the rules-based order.” However, one persistent journalist asked the question on everyone’s mind, “Where are Canada’s allies in this hour of need?”

The uncomfortable truth for Trudeau was that, at least in the public eye, he stood virtually alone on the world stage, facing off against India, a nation with a population 35 times greater than Canada’s and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

unjab police seeks extradition of Canada-based Khalistani Hardeep Nijjar.(photo:IN)

While his Five Eyes intelligence alliance partners, including the UK and Australia, expressed concern over the allegations, their support appeared tepid at best, with statements lacking the fervor Trudeau had hoped for. Even Canada’s closest neighbor, the United States, remained conspicuously silent, causing observers to question the depth of their alliance.

President Joe Biden’s praise for India’s contributions to the global economy during his UN speech only fueled further speculation about the US’s stance. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan attempted to downplay any rift, stating that Canada was being closely consulted, but the broader message was clear: Canada’s interests appeared dwarfed by India’s strategic importance in the eyes of its allies.

Xavier Delgado, a researcher at the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute, noted, “The United States, the UK, and all these Western and Indo-Pacific allies have built a strategy that largely focuses on India, to be a bulwark and counterweight to China. That’s something they can’t afford to toss out the window.”

The Canadian network CTV reported that the Five Eyes partners had shared intelligence on the matter, but when questioned about whether these allies had rebuffed Canada’s appeal for public condemnation of the murder, US Ambassador to Canada David Cohen remained tight-lipped.

These events spotlighted Canada’s current shortcomings on the global stage. While a dependable Western ally, Canada lacks the “hard power” to influence international affairs decisively. Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute, described the situation as a “moment of weakness” for Canada.

Despite these challenges, few questioned Trudeau’s decision to disclose the allegations publicly, given the gravity of the situation. However, the harsh geopolitical realities meant Trudeau faced days of isolation as tensions with India escalated. Diplomatic expulsions, travel advisories, and the suspension of visa services for Canadians traveling to India only added to the Prime Minister’s woes.

Trudeau’s challenging week unfolded against the backdrop of a difficult summer, marked by issues such as inflation, alleged Chinese interference in Canadian elections, and a controversial prison transfer. As a result, his approval ratings plummeted to a three-year low, with 63% of Canadians expressing disapproval.

Campbell Clark, chief political writer for the Globe and Mail, noted that Trudeau’s once-soaring popularity has waned over eight years in office. Yet, some experts speculate that this international standoff with India may provide Trudeau with a much-needed respite from domestic troubles, offering him a chance to regain his footing.

As Trudeau navigates these treacherous waters, the world watches to see whether he can muster the diplomatic finesse and resilience to reassert Canada’s presence on the global stage and, in the process, resurrect his own political fortunes at home.

(The article first appeared in Khalsa Vox)

ALSO READ: US intel involvement risks ‘ensnaring’ Washington in India-Canada row

ALSO READ: Canada jeopardised ties, says Shashi Tharoor

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How Canada Became a Hub for Sikh Extremism

The idea of a separate Sikh state appears as a refuge from the discrimination Sikhs face in Canada…writes Antariksh Singh

The world of pop culture, with its pulsating beats and flashy visuals, often carries within it the strains of political undertones.

In Canada’s thriving Punjabi music scene, rappers like Shubh don’t merely represent a contemporary hip-hop culture; they inadvertently echo sentiments of a bygone extremist movement, Khalistan, which has long lost traction in India.

Yet, it has found resonance among a section of the Sikh diaspora in Canada. How has this ideology, once marginalized and isolated in India, become part of mainstream dialogue in another country?

Canada has been home to Punjabi immigrants for generations. Through their trials of integration, the weight of historical grievances carried over, especially the wounds of the 1984 Sikh riots in India. Pop culture becomes the medium, the mouthpiece for expressing this anguish. Songs like ‘Putt Sardar De’ and ‘SYL’ not only glorify extremists and radicals, but also inadvertently link Sikhism with gangsterism, an association both unfair and damaging.

As Neilesh Bose suggests, the sentiment behind this movement is not solely the desire for a separate homeland but stems from a perceived injustice towards Sikhs by India.

But should a perceived past injustice be the rationale for nurturing extremist ideologies abroad, especially when many Sikhs in India have moved forward?

There’s also the perspective of the second and third-generation Sikh Canadians who grapple with identity amidst the multicultural fabric of Canada. Racism, particularly towards Sikhs, has been an unfortunate part of their experience.

Their search for identity, coupled with tales of a glorious past and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign, creates a romanticized view of Khalistan. The idea of a separate Sikh state appears as a refuge from the discrimination they face in Canada.

Additionally, the machinations of international politics play their part. The Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, has long been suspected of stoking secessionist sentiments, not just in Kashmir but also among the Sikh diaspora.

Their alleged association with US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and support for Khalistani propaganda underscore the geopolitics at play. It’s not just about a community’s grievances; it’s the age-old game of nations using expatriate sentiments as pawns in their larger strategies.

Central to the sustenance of the Khalistani sentiment in Canada is the stronghold they have over certain gurudwaras. For a community, a gurudwara is not just a place of worship; it’s the heartbeat of their collective life. By controlling the narrative here, Khalistan sympathizers ensure that their ideology continues to find both voice and monetary support.

In conclusion, while the idea of Khalistan has lost its fervor in India, its remnants have found a home in Canada. The potent mix of historical grievances, search for identity, geopolitics, and the power of pop culture ensures that this sentiment remains alive. However, it’s essential for both nations and their diaspora to realize that sustaining extremist ideologies, no matter where they find resonance, is detrimental to the fabric of any society.

(The article first appeared in Khalsa Vox)

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Canada global hub of 8 Indian crime lords

The international reach of these criminal networks is evident in their involvement in heinous crimes, including attacks on government buildings using RPGs and the murder of political leaders…reports Asian Lite News

The killing of Sukhdool Singh Gill aka Sukha Duneke in Winnipeg, Canada, on Wednesday has thrown the spotlight on the global operations of notorious Indian criminal gangs.

Duneke, who was allegedly associated with the infamous Bambiha gang, was wanted in multiple cases in India, including for murder, extortion, and attempt to murder.

He was also a person of interest for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Duneke’s murder has raised questions about the extent to which Indian criminal gangs operate outside the country. According to sources, Duneke had fled to Canada in 2017, where he ran an extortion racket. His name prominently featured in the list of 43 individuals released by the NIA earlier this week, all allegedly involved in terror-related activities.

The Bambiha gang has a long-standing rivalry with other Indian criminal groups, including the gangs led by Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar.

Duneke himself was an accused in the murder of kabaddi player Sandeep Naggal Ambian, who was shot during a match at Mallian village in Punjab in March 2022. It was alleged that Duneke had provided a hideout to the killers at a relative’s home in Amritsar.

After Duneke’s murder, rival gangsters from Punjab, including Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, claimed responsibility for the act through separate Facebook posts. The incident once again highlights the volatile and dangerous criminal landscape in the region.

Intelligence sources indicate that at least eight gangsters are suspected to be operating from within Canada, pointing to a global network of Indian criminal elements.

The NIA and Delhi Police’s Special Cell have for long suspected the presence of these gangsters abroad, and the recent incident seems to confirm their suspicions.

Security agencies have consistently maintained that Duneke was hiding in Canada, and they had even submitted a dossier to the Canadian authorities regarding his activities.

But was Duneke the only gangster hiding in Canada, operating his nefarious network from abroad?

According to sources, the answer is a resounding no. Intelligence sources reveal that at least eight gangsters are suspected to be operating from within Canada.

As per sources, Satwinder Singh (Goldy Brar) is believed to be hiding in either the US or Canada, while Lakhbir Singh Sandu (Landa), Arshdeep Singh (Arsh Dalla), Satveer Singh Warring (Raman Judge), Charnjit Singh (Rinku Bihla), Sanawer Dhillon, and Gurpinder Singh (Baba Dalla) are suspected to be in Canada. Gaurav Patyal (Lucky) and Anmol Bishnoi are believed to be in the US.

Notably, the NIA announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Lakhbir Singh Sandhu (Landa) for promoting the terror activities of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) in India.

The international reach of these criminal networks is evident in their involvement in heinous crimes, including attacks on government buildings using RPGs and the murder of political leaders.

Gurpinder Singh, known as Baba Dalla who currently resides in British Columbia, had issued threats against an accused in the Punjab sacrilege case, highlighting the interconnected nature of these criminal operations.

Arsh Dalla, also living in British Columbia, is wanted for the murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik, an accused in the 1985 Kanishka airplane bombing. His involvement in a high-profile case demonstrates the global reach of these criminal enterprises.

Charnjeet Singh, alias Rinku Bihla, is another figure wanted for his alleged role in extortion and homicide cases. He played a key role in financing the murder of Dera Premi Manohar Lal in 2020, besides orchestrating an attack on priest Kamaldeep Sharma in Phillaur in 2021.

Raman, known as ‘Judge’, hails from Ferozepur, Punjab, and is the brother of incarcerated gangster Gagandeep Singh. Together with Bihla, Raman is alleged to have provided logistic support and financing for the murders of Dera Premi and the priest in Phillaur in 2020.

“These foreign-based pro-Khalistani terrorists are also involved in smuggling weapons, ammunition, explosives, and other contraband from across the border. They have also been linked to terrorist activities within India, including high-profile attacks on state institutions,” said intelligence sources.

The global reach of Indian criminal gangs and their involvement in terror-related activities are of increasing concern for the Indian authorities. The recent killing of Duneke serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by these transnational criminal networks.

As investigations continue, it remains to be seen how these criminal elements will be dealt with on the international stage.

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OCI of separatists to be cancelled

National Investigation Agency.

Govt orders agencies to identify separatists’ well-wishers, accomplices and freeze their bank accounts and seize their properties…reports Asian Lite News

Continuing its crackdown on terrorists and Khalistani extremists, the Indian government in a bold move has now asked the investigative agencies to identify the properties of all the terrorists wanted in India sitting abroad for confiscation and cancel their Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) so that they don’t come to India.

The government has also asked the agencies to identify their well-wishers and accomplices and freeze their bank accounts and seize their properties. The government aims to choke terror funding aiming to create unrest and lure the youth.

The move comes a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Canada-based ‘designated individual terrorist’ Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Amritsar and Chandigarh.

Sources privy to the matter said that the government has asked the security agencies to identify the properties of the terrorists settled in countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia for their confiscation and cancel their OCI so that they don’t come to India. The source said that the step will help the government to choke the finances of these terrorists from India and also not allow them to visit here. Their properties will be confiscated under section 33(5) of UA(P)A. the government’s action is aimed to put a stop on them who target the gullible youths and radicalise them to join their movement in India.

According to sources, the government has identified 19 absconding Khalistani terrorists staying in countries like US, UK, Canada, UAE, Pakistan and other countries.

Paramjit Singh Pamma, based in UK, Wadhwa Singh Babbar aka Chacha in Pakistan, Kulwant Singh Muthda, UK, JS Dhaliwal, US, Sukhpak Singh, UK, Harriet Singh aka Rana Sungh, US, Sarabjit Singh Benoor, UK, Kulwant Singh aka Kanta, UK, Harjap Singh aka Jappi Dingh, US, Ranjit Singh Neeta, Pakistan, Gurmeet Singh aka Bagga, Gurpreet Singh aka Baaghi, UK, Jasmin Singh Hakimzada, UAE, Gurjant Singh Dhillon, Australia, Lakhbir Singh Rode, Europe and Canada, Amardeep Singh Purewal, US, Jatinder Singh Grewal, Canada, Dupinder Jeet, UK and S Himmat Singh in US.

The source said that earlier the security agencies identified a group of 11 individuals, believed to be both gangsters and terrorists, currently residing in Canada, the United States, and Pakistan. Of these, eight suspects are suspected to be operating from within Canada.

The list includes the names of gangsters and terrorists like — Harvinder Sandhu aka Rinda believed to be in Pakistan, Lakhbir Singh aka Landa, Sukhdool Singh aka Sukha Duneke (killed three days ago), Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh Dalla, Ramandeep Singh aka Raman Judge, Charnjit Singh aka Rinku Bihla, Sanawer Dhillon and Gurpinder Singh aka Baba Dalla, all believed to be in Canada.

The list also includes names of gangsters and terrorists like Gaurav Patyal Lucky and Anmol Bishnoi believed to be in US.

Meanwhile NIA has announced cash rewards for information on five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists including its Canada based leader Lakhbir Singh Landa and Pakistan based Harwinder Singh Rinda.

While the federal agency announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each for information on Landa and Rinda, who are key leaders in the Khalistan machinery, Rs 5 lakh each was declared on Parminder Singh Kaira alias Pattu, Satnam Singh alias Satbir Singh and Yadvinder Singh alias Yadda, according to a statement issued by the NIA.

Canadian Defence Minister urges common ground

Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair has urged India, Canada to start talking to find a common ground in view of the recent strain in relations, CBC News reported.

“I really want [the two countries I love] to start talking. I know once they start talking, once they really want to help their citizens, I’m pretty sure they’ll find common ground to make friends,” Blair said in an interview on Rosemary Barton Liveon CBC News which aired on Sunday.

CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs.

Blair said he is aware of the impact the diplomatic dispute was having on Indian-Canadians.

This comes as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week alleged India’s involvement in  the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Najjar, who was a designated Terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Canada has called on India to co-operate with the investigation into Nijjar’s death.

Trudeau on Friday said that Ottawa wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the alleged involvement of New Delhi in the killing of Nijjar, designated as a terrorist by India.

The Canadian Defence Minister said: “It’s another reason why I place such emphasis on the investigation that’s taking place, that we’d be able to move beyond credible intelligence to evidence, strong evidence of exactly what happened, so that we and the Indian government can know the truth, have the facts and then work together to resolve it in an appropriate way.”

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