Ottawa, Canada: The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is deeply concerned by revelations that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, one of Canada’s most high-profile Sikhs, faced credible death threats linked to foreign interference during the winter of 2023-24, requiring weeks of heavy RCMP protection for himself and his family.
These threats against Jagmeet Singh are not isolated. More than a dozen Sikh Canadians are known to be facing similar credible threats to their lives, connected to the Government of India’s campaign of transnational repression. India’s targeting of Sikhs in Canada is part of a systematic effort to silence and intimidate the Sikh community in Canada.
On October 14, 2024, senior RCMP officials confirmed that multiple ongoing investigations uncovered the involvement of Indian government agents in serious criminal activity in Canada. The RCMP revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials leveraged their official positions to engage in clandestine operations, collect intelligence on Sikh Canadians, and orchestrate violence through organized crime elements. At least three Sikhs in Canada, including Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the President of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey BC, have been assassinated by Indian agents over the past three years.
WSO President Danish Singh said today,
“It is alarming that even a national political leader, with all the visibility and institutional protections that come with the role, can be targeted like this. If Jagmeet Singh is not safe, no Sikh Canadian can feel truly safe”.
“India’s war on Sikhs in Canada is real. It is not a partisan issue—it is a national issue. Transnational repression undermines Canadian sovereignty, intimidates our citizens, and threatens the foundations of our democracy” Danish Singh said.
He added: “WSO has repeatedly called for a full public inquiry into India’s transnational repression against Sikh Canadians, the provision of adequate protection and support to all those targeted, and to hold accountable those who have sought to endanger Canadians on our own soil”.
“We commend Jagmeet Singh for his courage in the face of these threats. His experience underscores the urgent need for immediate action. Canada must send a clear and unmistakable message: our citizens will not be intimidated by India or any other country, and our democracy will not be undermined.”
