Controversial statement about the murder of a Sikh triggers discussion within the Canadian diaspora

A dispute between Canada and India over the murder of a Sikh separatist has sparked concerns about political tension among some Sikhs and Hindus in the diaspora. The controversy began after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested that India could be behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. This accusation led to a video circulating on social media featuring the head of a US-based Sikh separatist group urging Hindu Canadians to return to India. In the video, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the head of Sikhs for Justice, tells Hindu Canadians to abandon their allegiance to Canada and go to India. The video went viral and attracted the attention of Chandra Arya, a Hindu member of Canada's parliament, who expressed concerns about the division between the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada. The dispute has only deepened tensions within the Indian diaspora, with India denying any involvement in Nijjar's murder. Demonstrations both supporting and opposing the Indian government took place across Canada following Nijjar's death, and vandalism targeting Hindu temples with anti-India graffiti has also been reported. Nijjar was a vocal advocate for Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs in Punjab, which India strongly opposes and considers Nijjar a terrorist. Pannun clarified that his remarks were directed at Hindus who align with the interests of the Indian government. Indo-Canadians interviewed by the BBC have expressed surprise at Canada's allegations but have not reported any threats to their safety or increased tensions in their daily lives. The Indo-Canadian community has deep ties to both Canada and India, with a population of 1.86 million residents of Indian descent. While some individuals within the community do denounce remarks suggesting Hindu Canadians should leave Canada, others view the dispute as a political issue. Some Sikh Canadians have been upset by Trudeau's accusation due to the lack of publicly presented evidence. Misinformation has also been spread online, falsely associating the Khalistan movement with violence and terrorism. Despite these issues, the majority of Hindus and Sikhs in Canada have always had close ties and there should be no tension between these communities. The larger concern is foreign interference by the Indian government in Canadian affairs.