KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
28-May-2025
Peel Regional Police (PRP) on May 28 announced the arrest of two 21-year-old Indian-origin men, identified as Aman and Digvijay, in connection with the murder of 51-year-old Indo-Canadian businessman Harjeet Dhadda from Delta, British Columbia, Canada.
28-May-2025
The World Sikh Organisation (WSO) criticised Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand following her 'productive' dialogue with India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, accusing her of sidelining issues faced by Sikh Canadians. In contrast, Hindu Canadian groups have supported Anand’s efforts to restore ties with India, dismissing the WSO as unrepresentative and politically motivated.
15-May-2025
On May 15, the Lawrence Bishnoi group claimed responsibility for the killing of Sikh businessman Harjeet Singh Dhadda in Mississauga, Canada, via a social media post. Bishnoi’s aide Rohit Godara alleged Dhadda had supported Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) chief Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala’s bail and had been warned earlier. Dhadda was shot multiple times near his office, with assailants firing around 20 rounds before fleeing.
14-May-2025
On May 14, Sikh businessman Harjeet Singh Dhadda was shot dead in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He ran a trucking safety and insurance consultancy and had reportedly received extortion threats before the attack. Police have launched a homicide investigation, with no arrests made so far.
13-May-2025
On May 13, Canadian Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney appointed Anita Anand as Minister of Foreign Affairs to help reset strained ties with India and manage relations with the United States (US). Maninder Sidhu was named Minister of International Trade. The cabinet was downsized from 39 to 28, marking a shift from former PM Trudeau’s approach.
07-May-2025
Former Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Chandra Arya, who was barred from recontesting by the Liberal Party over alleged ties to the Government of India, announced the formation of the Hindu Public Affairs Council of Canada on May 7 via the social media platform X. Arya described the organization as a platform to defend Hindu-Canadians against rising anti-Hindu sentiment and Khalistani extremism. He denied acting as a proxy for the Indian state, calling such allegations an attempt to intimidate Hindu voices in Canada.
05-May-2025
The recent Canadian election delivered a quiet but decisive verdict against Khalistani extremism in national politics. Once courted by mainstream parties for vote-bank gains, these fringe elements now stand politically marginalised. The fall of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and the retreat of Justin Trudeau’s diaspora pandering mark a clear rejection of separatist rhetoric. India, having played the long game without theatrics, now observes as Canada confronts the consequences of enabling proxy radicalism. The Khalistan project didn’t fall in courtrooms or counterterror raids—it fell at the ballot box.
05-May-2025
The electoral defeat of New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh reflects broader shifts in Canadian politics, rather than solely Khalistani sympathies, as some Indian media suggest. His loss is rooted in the NDP’s long-term decline, the Liberal resurgence under Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney, and evolving voter dynamics in the post-Trump era. While racial prejudice may have played a part, Singh’s policy influence—particularly during his alliance with the Liberals—was substantial. His legacy lies in mainstreaming Sikh political leadership in Canada, not in advancing separatist agendas.
05-May-2025
On May 5, Canadian MP Don Davies was appointed interim leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) following the resignation of pro-Khalistan leader Jagmeet Singh after the party’s poor performance in the April 28 federal election. The NDP secured only seven seats, losing its official party status in the House of Commons. Singh also lost his own seat and faced criticism for supporting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government and for his perceived leniency towards Khalistani extremism.
05-May-2025
On May 5, Indo-Canadian Hindu organisations—including the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (CHCC), Coalition of Hindus of North America (COHNA), and Canadian Hindu Volunteers (CHV)—strongly condemned hate speech made during the May 4 Khalsa Day parade in the Greater Toronto Area. A speaker was caught on video calling for the removal of “eight lakh Bhartis” from Canada, amid pro-Khalistan and anti-India banners. The National Alliance of Indo-Canadians urged Prime Minister (PM) Mark Carney to take decisive action against such radical elements.
04-May-2025
A Khalsa Day parade held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 4 featured disturbing elements, including a mock jail mounted on a truck displaying effigies of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister (UHM) Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar. The parade also showcased banners demanding the deportation of 800,000 Hindus from Canada and carried pro-Khalistan and anti-India imagery.
01-May-2025
In the 2025 Canadian federal election, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh suffered a significant political defeat, losing his Burnaby Central seat and subsequently announcing his resignation as party chief. The NDP secured only seven seats and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote, falling below the threshold required for official party status in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, won 169 seats to form a minority government. Singh’s open support for the Khalistani separatist movement attracted widespread criticism and played a role in his political decline. However, despite his departure, the Khalistan movement he espoused continues to persist in Canada, remaining an influential and controversial political force.
29-Apr-2025
Khalistan supporter and Indo-Canadian leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh, suffered a significant political setback on April 29, as he lost his seat in Burnaby Central during the Canadian federal election. Singh broke down in tears during an emotional concession speech in Burnaby, British Columbia. He announced that he would step down as party leader once an interim leader is appointed, marking the end of his tenure, which began in 2017.
29-Apr-2025
On April 29, Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to victory in the Canadian federal election, assuming the premiership along with a host of diplomatic challenges left by Justin Trudeau. Chief among them is the frozen Indo-Canadian relationship, strained by Trudeau’s baseless allegations against India in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case. Carney, an economist and former central banker, has signalled a pragmatic shift, expressing intent to rebuild ties with India based on shared democratic values and economic interests. With the pro-Khalistani NDP and its leader Jagmeet Singh significantly weakened, Carney now has greater political space to reset Canada’s approach towards India.
29-Apr-2025
A record 22 Punjabis were elected to the House of Commons in the federal elections in Canada on April 29. Among the winners from the Liberal Party are Ruby Sahota (Brampton North), Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East), Amandeep Sohi (Brampton Centre), Anita Anand (Oakville East), Bardish Chagger (Waterloo), Anju Dhillon (Dorval Lachine), Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey Newton), Iqwinder Singh Gaheer (Mississauga Malton), Randeep Sarai (Surrey Centre), Gurbax Saini (Fleetwood Port Kells), and Param Bains (Richmond East Steveston). From the Conservative Party, the winners include Sukhdeep Kang (Brampton South), Amarjeet Gill (Brampton West), Jasraj Hallan (Calgary East), Dalwinder Gill (Calgary McKnight), Amanpreet Gill (Calgary Skyview), Arpan Khanna (Oxford), Tim Uppal (Edmonton Gateway), Parm Gill (Milton East), Sukhman Gill (Abbotsford South Langley), Jagsharan Singh Mahal (Edmonton Southeast), and Harb Gill (Windsor West).
23-Apr-2025
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD), in a statement issued on April 23, appealed for witnesses in connection with the recent vandalism of the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara on Ross Street in Vancouver, which was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti in both English and Punjabi. Surveillance footage captured a vehicle and two individuals near the premises at the time of the incident.
21-Apr-2025
Vancouver Police Department (VPD) on April 21 assured members of the Indo-Canadian community that it is seriously investigating the desecration of the historic Ross Street Gurdwara, managed by the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS), during a meeting held at the Gurdwara in Vancouver, British Columbia. Among those present were members of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, which was also targeted with pro-Khalistan and anti-India graffiti.
20-Apr-2025
Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) from Ottawa Nepean, Chandra Arya, in a post on social media platform X on April 20, urged the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada to 'rise with urgency' and demand decisive government action against Khalistani extremists, following a series of defacements of religious sites. Arya condemned the recent graffiti at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, calling it a 'chilling reminder' of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism. He also referenced similar acts of vandalism at the Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver and called for immediate measures to curb extremist activities.
20-Apr-2025
Canada’s Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister (PM) candidate Pierre Poilievre, on April 20, attended the Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey, British Columbia, where he shared the stage with designated Khalistani terrorist Santokh Singh Khela — the Jathedar of the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and a convict in the Air India Flight 112 bombing plot. During the event, Khela, seen wielding an axe, pledged to continue the fight for Khalistan and to fulfil the separatist agenda of slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
20-Apr-2025
The Lakshmi Narayan Mandir was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on April 20. This marked the third instance of the temple being targeted in such an act of vandalism. Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman reported that two individuals spray-painted the temple and stole a security camera around 3 a.m. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce condemning it as an act of hate.