BRAMPTON — Frustration, fear and long-simmering distrust took centre stage Sunday as hundreds of Sikh community members gathered at the Canadian Convention Centre to confront politicians and police officials about the escalating wave of extortion, threats and violence targeting Sikh and Punjabi Canadians.
The town hall, part of a coordinated national campaign led by several Sikh organizations, brought municipal, provincial and federal representatives together with law enforcement in an effort to highlight what community leaders describe as a deepening crisis. Many attendees said they feel abandoned as threats intensify and extortion networks expand with alarming speed.
Balpreet Singh, spokesperson and legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said the scale of intimidation has reached a point where everyday people — from business owners to activists — are living with constant fear. “The Sikh and Punjabi community is facing a crisis across the country,” he said. “Business people, regular people, activists are facing extortion, threats, shootings and intimidation. I can’t fathom how a community can be targeted by a foreign government in this way.”
Tensions between India and Canada have remained heightened since 2023, when Ottawa accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C. The India-based Bishnoi gang — accused by the RCMP of orchestrating a violent campaign against Sikh activists — was formally listed as a terrorist entity in September, granting Canada new powers to freeze assets and block support for the group.
For many in attendance, Sunday’s town hall was an emotional release. Community members lined up to criticize what they see as weak accountability from authorities and a lack of urgency from governments seeking to repair diplomatic relations with India. Singh questioned Canada’s renewed trade efforts with New Delhi, saying, “Our prime minister is very intent on re-engaging with India, but there’s no accountability for what India has done and continues to do in this country.”
The human cost of extortion loomed large in the room. Gurlin Dhadda, whose father Harjeet Singh Dhadda was shot and killed in a Mississauga plaza in May after facing repeated threats, said arrests alone are not enough. “More needs to be done than just surface-level arrests,” she said, urging officials to treat Sikh Canadians’ safety concerns with seriousness.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah acknowledged the severity of the problem, noting that extortion networks have become increasingly sophisticated, often initiating threats through social media. Peel’s Extortion Investigation Task Force, launched in December 2023, has laid nearly 300 charges to date, but the numbers continue to rise. Police recorded 319 cases in 2023, 490 cases in 2024, and 436 cases so far this year. “We don’t want to wait for this to get worse,” Duraiappah said, promising more enforcement announcements soon.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles told the crowd that despite increased police attention, the scale of threats is outpacing the government’s response. “The number of extortion attempts and threats are increasing,” she said. “It’s very clear that people feel like they’ve been left behind.” Stiles called for more investment in victim support, mental-health resources, and targeted security measures for South Asian businesses that have been repeatedly attacked.
As attendees continued sharing stories of fear, harassment and mistrust, it became clear that many do not believe government reassurances are enough. For them, Sunday’s town hall was a plea — not just for action, but for recognition of the scale of the threat facing Sikh Canadians.
The national series of town halls continues in Calgary on Dec. 13 and Surrey on Dec. 14, where organizers hope to maintain pressure on officials to deliver concrete solutions.