Canada tells Nijjar’s aide he faces life threat from Modi regime

LONDON: A leading Canadian national, Khalistani and Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) activist, who took Khalistan Referendum campaign from slain Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been told by the Canadian authorities that his life is in danger by Narendra Modi’s Indian government.

Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum in Canada, said that the Ontario Provincial Police visited his Brampton, Ont, home to notify him that he was the subject of a “duty to warn” notice” issued by the Canadian intelligence when the threat level is extremely high.

Gosal is one of the closest aides who shadows Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, General Counsel to Sikhs For Justice during his travels and attendance at the Khalistan Referendum voting events in Canada.

He assumed the coordinator role in Canada from Nijjar after the Sikh activist was allegedly assassinated by Indian intelligence last year outside Canada’s biggest Gurdawara.

Since he was not at home at the time, an officer later called to tell him that he was at risk, and that he should be vigilant and report anything suspicious, Gosal confirmed to Geo News via telephone.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly linked the June 18, 2023 murder of Nijjar to agents of the Indian government, which opposes the Khalistan separatist campaign and has branded Nijjar a terrorist.

SFJ’s founder and New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said in a statement on X: “While FBI and California Highway Police (CHP) are actively investigating the August 11 assassination attempt on Satinder Pal Singh Raju, an associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) served ‘duty to warn’ notice to another Khalistan Referendum campaigner Inderjeet Singh Gosal in Brampton, ON, Canada citing heightened threat to his life.”

“On the intervening night of August 22-23, OPP officers reached Gosal who has been actively organising Khalistan Referendum voting events in Canada warning him of heightened threat to his safety and advising him to stay vigilant. Earlier in February 2024, Gosal’s house was the target of a ‘drive-by shooting” which was immediately celebrated on X by accounts which promoted Modi’s violent Hindutva ideology and call for the killing of pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Canada and America.

Pannun said: “Modi regime’s transnational repression cannot kill the Sikh sovereignists resolve to create Sikh homeland Khalistan in Indian occupied Punjab. Regimes from Gandhis to Modi have committed genocidal violence against Sikhs but Indian violence could not stop Sikhs from campaigning for the right to self-determination. The Trudeau government must hold India’s high commissioner accountable for setting up a spy network that monitors pro-Khalistan activists and orchestrated Nijjar’s assassination.”

Undeterred by heightened threats and “Duty To Warn” by the Canadian security officials, Gosal said: “I have been advised by the Canadian officials about threats to my life, however, my resolve to work for the liberation of Punjab from Indian occupation stays firm. Modi Government cannot stop the Khalistan Referendum voting by killing or threatening the activists.”

Gosal said he believed the Indian government was behind the threat to his life.

“I am coordinating all the referendums in Canada, taking the role after Mr Nijjar,” Gosal said. “I was thinking I was safe here, in a beautiful country like Canada, but clearly India is not letting up.”

Under the leadership of Modi, India has been accused of engaging in transnational repression and assassination plots that aim to silence pro-Khalistan voices. Canadian police believe Indian agents linked with Indian intelligence RAW have been contracting the killings to organised crime.

Pannun was similarly targeted in a foiled assassination plot allegedly orchestrated by the Indian intelligence on the direct orders of Modi.

Meanwhile, the FBI has confirmed it is investigating the August 11 incident in northern California in which five shots were fired at the vehicle of Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a US Khalistan referendum organiser.

“We acknowledge that an individual who has received a ‘duty to warn’ may choose to make this information public, however, it does not alleviate the responsibility of the RCMP to maintain the privacy of the individual who has received such a warning,” the RCMP’s Ontario office said, which issued a warning to Gosal.

Gosal was also a close friend of Nijjar, whom he said was “like a brother to me”.

In May, four suspects with alleged ties to Indian RAW were arrested in Edmonton and Brampton for Nijjar’s killing. The RCMP is continuing to investigate the Indian government’s involvement.