KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
24-Nov-2025
Reports indicate that in 2025, Canadian federal courts and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) rejected numerous refugee claims by Punjabi migrants who alleged persecution in India for supporting the Khalistan movement, with adjudicators repeatedly finding the applications opportunistic or lacking credibility. A July 2025 National Post investigation highlighted the case of Gagandeep Singh, a 22-year-old from Haryana, who first claimed he fled India after being framed for murder but later added assertions of pro-Khalistan activism in Canada. The Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) ultimately overturned his initial protection, calling it ‘yet another fraudulent refugee claim’ and noting that his account was ‘strikingly similar’ to nearly 200 other claims prepared by the same Brampton-based consultant, Deepak Pawar.
24-Nov-2025
Indian High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik, in an interview with a Canadian news channel on November 24 reiterated that India had ‘no involvement whatsoever’ in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, calling the allegations by the previous Canadian administration ‘preposterous and absurd.’ Patnaik welcomed Canada’s move to designate the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, noting that India had already taken action against the network. ‘We have Bishnoi’s brother in jail, and another brother was recently extradited from the US to face charges in India,’ he said.
23-Nov-2025
Indian High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik, in an interview with CBC on November 24, sharply criticised the Khalistan referendum held in Ottawa by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on November 23. He said that while peaceful protest is acceptable, Canada must consider how such events are perceived in India, where they are viewed as interference in internal affairs. Patnaik described the exercise as a ‘farcical referendum,’ noting that genuine referendums follow a defined process. He added that India has no objection to people expressing political demands, pointing out that even parties advocating Khalistan participate in India’s democratic system, including two Members of Parliament (MPs)—one of whom is the son of a man convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. ‘This is a referendum by Canadians, done in Canada. If you want to do it, do it,’ he remarked.
23-Nov-2025
The banned group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) held a Khalistan referendum in Ottawa, Canada, on November 23, during which supporters chanted ‘Kill India’ slogans and desecrated the Indian flag. This is the seventh such unofficial vote held in Canada since September 2022. The timing of the event was significant, as it coincided with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meeting with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
23-Nov-2025
A Khalistan Referendum voting event was held at a community center in Ottawa on November 23. Pro-Khalistan supporters gathered outside, chanting ‘Khalistan Zindabad,’ while organizers described the turnout as one of the strongest in North America.”
23-Nov-2025
On November 23, during the Khalistan Referendum event organized by the banned group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), Khalistan supporters chanted ‘kill’ slogans against Indian political leaders and government officials and desecrated the Indian flag at the McNabb Community Centre in Ottawa, Canada.
22-Nov-2025
The banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) will hold a referendum in Ottawa, Canada, on November 23 as part of its campaign for an independent Sikh state, ‘Khalistan’. The vote coincides with the day Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in South Africa.
21-Nov-2025
Punjabi singer Mankirt Aulakh recently commented on reports of Punjabi artistes receiving death threats and facing shootings outside their homes and businesses in Canada, saying that living in Punjab is now safer than living in Canada. A close friend of Sidhu Moose Wala, Mankirt’s name and that of his manager had surfaced during the investigation into Moose Wala’s murder. Shortly after Moose Wala’s killing, Mankirt left for Canada.
20-Nov-2025
On November 20, a Canadian court dropped all charges against Jagdeep Singh and Arman Singh, who were arrested alongside Khalistani leader Inderjit Singh Gosal with a handgun on September 19. Charges against Gosal, however, remain pending.
19-Nov-2025
According to reports, Mississauga-based Punjabi-origin crime blogger Gursewak Singh Bal was arrested as part of a United States (US)–Canadian crackdown on a drug empire allegedly led by ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding. Bal, co-founder of the “Dirty Newz” website, was among seven Canadians detained on November 19 during coordinated police raids codenamed “Operation Giant Slalom” — a cross-border sting that officials described as an unprecedented clampdown on transnational narco-terrorism.
19-Nov-2025
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun announced that Canada has formally approved the Khalistan Referendum scheduled for November 23 at Billings Estate in Ottawa. He claimed the approval reflects Canada’s commitment to freedom of expression and democratic processes, describing the referendum as a peaceful ballot-based campaign. Pannun urged the Sikh community to vote to 'free Punjab' from what he called Indian occupation.
16-Nov-2025
According to reports, hundreds of cars participating in a Khalistan car rally organised by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) reached the residence of Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik in Ottawa, Canada, on November 16. SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun described the event as a demonstration of “peaceful, ballot-based democracy,” claiming it was a protest against India’s alleged repression of Sikhs and signaling diaspora support for the upcoming Khalistan Referendum scheduled for November 23 at the Billings Estate in Ottawa. The report added that the referendum event has been approved by Canadian authorities.
14-Nov-2025
Lawyers in British Columbia, Canada, have urged that extortion be designated as a terrorism offence under the Criminal Code, as unrelenting extortion calls have now reached the legal community, signalling a dangerous escalation in the province’s ongoing public safety crisis. On November 14, the Law Society of British Columbia issued an urgent advisory to its members, warning of recent cases in which lawyers received demands for large sums of money accompanied by explicit threats to their physical safety. Notably, Punjabis have figured prominently in these cases, both as targeted victims and as alleged perpetrators.
12-Nov-2025
A group of pro-Khalistan supporters on November 12 staged a protest outside the White Oaks Resort, the venue of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ conclave in Niagara, Ontario, Canada, shouting anti-India slogans and waving Khalistani flags and banners. Tight security was maintained in and around the venue, with security personnel inspecting the protesters’ belongings to ensure they carried nothing dangerous or explosive.
10-Nov-2025
In a recent social media video, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), issued a direct threat against India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, using inflammatory language and vowing to “kill Jaishankar politically.” He also threatened to disrupt the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for November 11–12, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada, specifically targeting sessions involving India’s participation to embarrass the country on foreign soil.
09-Nov-2025
On November 9, a pro-Khalistan rally organized by the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) was held in Montreal, Canada, with over 500 cars displaying yellow flags and chanting slogans like “Khalistan Zindabaad.” The demonstration took place ahead of the next phase of the so-called “Khalistan referendum,” scheduled in Ottawa on November 23. SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun announced on social media that the convoy marked the beginning of a “24*7 Khalistan action” from November 11 to 12, aimed at “challenging” India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
07-Nov-2025
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on November 7 deported three foreign nationals linked to an ongoing extortion network targeting Punjabi-origin business owners in British Columbia. These are the first deportations under the BC Extortion Task Force—a 40-member joint operation involving the CBSA, RCMP, and local police agencies—formed earlier this year to combat transnational organized crime in the province. CBSA officials said 78 more foreign nationals are under investigation for suspected inadmissibility and possible links to the extortion cases. Authorities have not disclosed the identities or nationalities of those deported, though law enforcement sources indicated that many of both the victims and perpetrators are of Punjabi origin.
01-Nov-2025
Canadian ministers on November 1 condemned a protest by the Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) that targeted Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand outside India’s Consulate in Toronto on October 31, citing it as a threat to public officials. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree wrote on X, “A recent protest in Toronto showed two men shooting at the image of a federal minister — which is absolutely vile and unacceptable. Canada condemns all threats to public officials, full stop. Those responsible for inciting such hate and violence must be found and held accountable.” International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu echoed the sentiment, stating, “I strongly condemn the actions and rhetoric that promoted violence during the demonstration in Toronto. It is unacceptable and entirely contrary to the values of respect, peace, and unity that define our country. Canadians have the right to peacefully express their views, but that right can never be used to justify hate, intimidation, or harm.” Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai added, “Targeting a public official with threats or violence undermines our democracy.”
31-Oct-2025
On October 31, the banned Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) staged a protest outside the Indian Consulate in Toronto, targeting Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. The demonstration featured posters of Anand and former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, juxtaposed with a tableau depicting Gandhi’s assassination by her bodyguards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. The display, organized on the 41st anniversary of Indira Gandhi’s assassination, showed the two assassins aiming guns at Gandhi and at a morphed image of Anand. Another poster highlighted Anand’s recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during her bilateral visit to India earlier this month.
30-Oct-2025
In the early hours of October 30, another suspected extortion-related shooting occurred at a residence near 56th Avenue and King George Boulevard in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Several people were inside the home, but no injuries were reported. Police arrested two suspects and believe the incident is linked to Indian gang activity.