Sikh organizations call on MPs to commit to transparency on Indian interference

‘Conservative MPs framed the issue primarily in partisan terms’

THE British Columbia Gurdwaras Council (BCGC), Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC), Quebec Sikh Council, Dashmesh Culture Centre (Alberta), Sikh Federation (Canada), and the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) said on Wednesday that they have received a number of responses to letters calling on Canadian MPs to make tangible commitments upholding transparency and defending their ability to exercise fundamental freedoms.

In that letter, the Sikh organizations called for support for three urgent measures:

* Maximum transparency regarding Indian transnational repression

* Completion of the October 2024 parliamentary study on interference and criminal activity by agents of the Government of India

* A commitment to establish an independent public inquiry into the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and related activities

Nijjar, the then-President of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, was shot dead on the night of Sunday, June 18, 2023, in a parking lot of the gurdwara at 7050 120 Street in a brazen assassination.

The organizations said that nine Conservative MPs responded without addressing any of the three concrete measures requested, choosing instead to frame the issue primarily in partisan terms. In light of the recent warnings received by Sikh activists that their families are also under threat, it is unfortunate that these MPs chose not to engage with the community’s concerns in any way or open up any meaningful dialogue on tangible actions.

Sikh organizations also received a joint letter from the Liberal Sikh Caucus which largely agreed with the core principles and demands raised by the Sikh organizations. MP Sukh Dhaliwal also submitted a separate response which unequivocally supported all three calls to action.

(The Liberal and Conservative responses: attachment.)

The organizations said that while the response and support from the Liberal Sikh Caucus is a step in the right direction, significant concerns remain unresolved. The Conservative response failed to address the issues at all.

They added: “After eight months of what the government has described as “high level” dialogue between Canadian and Indian officials, there has been no measurable progress. There has been no public accountability and no public assurances that India will desist from engaging in interference or transnational repression in Canada.

“To the contrary, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, once again publicly denied any wrongdoing this weekend, stating that Indian interference “never happened.”

“At the same time, threats from India continue. Just days ago, Bhai Moninder Singh, a Sikh community leader, received a renewed police duty to warn, now extending to his wife and children. More than a dozen Sikh activists across Canada continue to live under active police warnings of credible threats. Shootings and extortion incidents linked to organized criminal networks have also not ceased.

“Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has argued that engagement requires being “at the table.” Engagement must produce results. Dialogue that is met with continued denial, and without visible safeguards or accountability, erodes public confidence rather than restoring it.”

The organizations said that in light of the responses that they have received, each of them will be reviewing their protocols regarding invitations to speak based on whether or not the individual MPs have provided a clear and public commitment to the three measures. Each institution will immediately implement measures based on the responses received.

They added: “We will continue engaging with the leaders’ offices of all three federal parties up to April 3, 2026, prior to initiating the next phase of our national campaign with respect to each federal party as a whole.”

Sikh organizations will be seeking a meeting with the Liberal Sikh Caucus to chart a clear and concrete path forward to address the community’s concerns, and invite the Conservative MPs to demonstrate a clear commitment to engage on these issues further.

These discussions must focus on:

* Ensuring maximum transparency consistent with national security obligations, including in the trial concerning Nijjar’s assassination

• Completing parliamentary review of interference activities

• Establishing an independent public inquiry at the appropriate time

• Identifying verifiable safeguards to protect Sikhs in Canada from intimidation and violence

The organizations said that Canadians across the country have expressed concern regarding Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to India and what appears to be a lack of principled clarity in Canada’s approach. Many are troubled by the perception that engagement is being prioritized without visible accountability or measurable safeguards.

They added: “Public confidence requires that Canada’s foreign policy be grounded first and foremost in defending Canadian sovereignty, the rule of law, and the safety of its citizens.

“We look forward to continued engagement with Members of Parliament to ensure that these principles are upheld in practice, not only in rhetoric.”