India names Canada border police official in terror.
Sandeep Singh Sidhu, an employee of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), has been accused of engaging in activities promoting terrorism in Punjab. Sidhu is allegedly associated with the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), a group known for its pro-Khalistan stance. According to authorities, his involvement includes using his position to support and facilitate activities aimed at destabilizing the region. The ISYF has long been linked to extremist actions, and Sidhu’s case adds another dimension to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, especially following the controversy surrounding the killing of Hardeep Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan figure in Canada.
Amid a heated diplomatic conflict between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, tensions have escalated further with New Delhi reportedly adding a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) official, Sandeep Singh Sidhu, to its list of fugitive terrorists sought for deportation. The controversy comes at a time of strained relations between the two nations, with accusations and counter-accusations marking a downward spiral in diplomatic ties.
Sandeep Singh Sidhu, a CBSA employee, has been accused by Indian authorities of engaging in activities that promote terrorism in Punjab. He is reportedly linked to the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), an organization known for its pro-Khalistan stance and history of extremist activities. The ISYF has been designated as a terrorist organization by various countries, including India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, for its involvement in violent activities aimed at establishing a separate Sikh state, or Khalistan. Reports indicate that Sidhu is allegedly involved in supporting and facilitating terrorist activities in Punjab, raising concerns about security and law enforcement in the region.
Sidhu’s case adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada, which intensified following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan figure based in Canada. Nijjar was known for his vocal support for the Khalistan movement, which seeks to create an independent Sikh homeland within the Indian state of Punjab. His killing has sparked a wave of accusations from Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police publicly alleging that Indian diplomats were involved in targeting Sikh separatists in Canada by sharing information about them with the Indian government.
According to Trudeau and Canadian law enforcement, top Indian officials allegedly passed along intelligence about Sikh separatists to organized crime groups in India, who then targeted these activists, most of whom are Canadian citizens. The alleged targeting included drive-by shootings, extortion, and even assassinations. These claims have been met with a strong denial from the Indian government, which has dismissed the accusations as baseless and absurd. In response to the allegations, India’s foreign ministry announced the expulsion of Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other Canadian diplomats, signaling a further deterioration in bilateral relations.
The case of Sandeep Singh Sidhu has brought attention to the broader issue of extremism and the potential misuse of positions within Canadian institutions. Sidhu’s alleged connections to the ISYF and his purported involvement in terrorist activities have raised questions about his ability to operate within the CBSA without raising suspicions. Reports suggest that Sidhu had ties to Lakhbir Singh Rode, a Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorist, and other operatives from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Sidhu is also believed to have played a role in the 2020 assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, an anti-Khalistan activist in Punjab who had been targeted multiple times due to his vocal stance against separatist violence.
The assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu was seen as a significant incident in the context of Punjab’s ongoing struggle against extremism. Sandhu was a prominent figure who had survived numerous assassination attempts over the years due to his opposition to Khalistan militancy. His death in 2020 was a major blow to anti-separatist efforts in the region, and Sidhu’s alleged involvement in the incident further underscores the extent of the threat posed by extremist elements operating across borders.
The broader diplomatic fallout between India and Canada has highlighted the longstanding issue of Khalistani extremism and its implications for bilateral relations. Canada is home to a significant Sikh diaspora, with a portion of the community supporting the Khalistan movement. While Canadian authorities have maintained that freedom of expression allows for the advocacy of various causes, India has consistently expressed concerns about the activities of pro-Khalistan groups in Canada, accusing them of using Canadian soil as a base for organizing terrorist activities targeting India.
The controversy surrounding Sidhu’s alleged activities and the broader allegations by the Canadian government have placed both nations in a diplomatic standoff, with each side standing firm on its position. For India, the accusations by Canada represent an attempt to deflect from the real issue of Khalistani extremism and its impact on Indian security. For Canada, the issue raises concerns about foreign interference and the safety of its citizens, especially within the context of minority communities advocating for contentious political causes.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community is watching closely, with potential implications for how nations deal with the intersection of diplomacy, terrorism, and diaspora politics. Whether the situation can be de-escalated remains to be seen, but the case of Sandeep Singh Sidhu has undoubtedly added another dimension to an already complex diplomatic dispute.