Ottawa — As India and Canada cautiously rebuild diplomatic ties, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) — a U.S.-based pro-Khalistan organization — has announced plans to “lay siege” to the Indian Consulate in Vancouver on Thursday.
The group released a provocative poster featuring the new Indian High Commissioner, Dinesh Patnaik, with a target superimposed over his face. SFJ has urged Indo-Canadians to avoid visiting the consulate on the planned day of action, warning they intend to block access as a form of protest.
In a statement, SFJ accused Indian missions in Canada of running a “spy network” to surveil Khalistan activists.
“Two years ago — 18 September 2023 — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament that Indian agents’ role was under investigation in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” the group said, adding, “Two years on, Indian consulates continue to run surveillance targeting Khalistan Referendum campaigners.”
The outfit claimed that Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had offered witness protection to Inderjeet Singh Gosal, who took over leadership of the Khalistan Referendum campaign after Nijjar’s killing.
According to SFJ, the consulate “siege” is meant to demand “accountability” for what they allege are acts of espionage and intimidation of Sikh activists on Canadian soil.
Neither the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India nor the Indian Consulate in Vancouver had commented on the threat at the time of reporting.
Earlier this month, a Canadian government report acknowledged that extremist Khalistani groups continue to receive financial support from networks within Canada. Groups such as Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) — both banned under Canada’s Criminal Code — reportedly now operate as looser networks of individuals rather than formal organizations, making them harder to monitor and disrupt.
The announcement comes as New Delhi and Ottawa attempt to stabilize relations after a two-year chill triggered by Trudeau’s accusation of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s assassination. India had strongly denied the allegations, calling them “absurd” and retaliated by expelling Canadian diplomats.
Analysts warn that such threats could further complicate the normalization process and put additional pressure on Canadian authorities to manage security at Indian diplomatic facilities.