Saturday, March 29, 2025
Khalistan Threat Sparks Unrest in Canada: SFJ Warns of Occupying Indian Consulate
Fresh unrest has broken out in Canada after Khalistan supporters once again staged protests against India. The separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has reportedly threatened to seize control of the Indian Consulate in Vancouver, escalating tensions between the two countries. Alongside this threat, the group has also issued a warning advising Indians not to travel to the area surrounding the consulate.
So far, neither the Indian government nor Canadian authorities have released any official statement on the matter. However, media reports suggest that SFJ has urged people who were planning to visit the consulate on Thursday to reschedule their appointments.
SFJ has also released a poster featuring India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, portraying his image as a target. The group accused Indian consular officials of running a “spy network” aimed at monitoring Khalistan supporters and disrupting their activities.
The statement further referenced Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s remarks from September 18, 2023, when he told Parliament that Canadian security agencies were investigating possible involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “Two years have passed, and now the Indian Consulate continues to operate a spy network targeting Khalistan referendum activists,” the group alleged.
Adding to the controversy, a recent government assessment has claimed that at least two Khalistani extremist organizations—Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation—have received financial support from within Canada. The findings were part of the 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk in Canada.
Meanwhile, Canadian intelligence agencies have highlighted that the threat of politically motivated violence by Khalistani extremists has existed since the mid-1980s. According to their reports, these groups have historically sought to establish an independent state called Khalistan in Punjab, India, often resorting to violent methods.
The renewed agitation has fueled diplomatic unease at a time when both countries are already navigating strained relations following Trudeau’s earlier allegations. Security concerns are now mounting, particularly around Indian diplomatic missions in Canada, amid fears of potential escalation.
