AMRITSAR Paying tribute to pro-freedom Sikh leader Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was assassinated by the men of Indian intelligence agencies on Canadian soil, Akal Takht Sahib jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Tuesday participated in the function organized by the Sikh body Dal Khalsa to mark Nijjar’s first death anniversary. 

While addressing the Sikh gathering at the function held as “Shaheedi Samagam” (martyrdom function) at Gurdwara Santokhsar Sahib near Sri Darbar Sahib here, he said, “In Canadian Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responsibly pointed finger towards the Indian intelligence agencies for masterminding the assassination of Nijjar”. 

Flanked by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, the Jathedar in his address to the gathering termed Nijjar as shaheed (martyr) of Sikh quam (nation). 

“Countless martyrs have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Sikh cause. They all have fallen to the bullets of the enemy which is anti-Sikh and anti-Panth”, the Jathedar said. 

He also took serious note of transnational killings and urged the Sikh masses to be alert and protect the lives of youth who are struggling for the cause. He talked about the establishment of quami ghar (Sikh homeland). 

Jathedar and SGPC president presented the siropa to the family members of Bhai Nijjar that lives in Canada. The siropa was received by organizers of the event on the family’s behalf. 

Addressing the gathering party working president Paramjit Singh Mand said portraying the freedom struggle of Punjab as terrorism was a clear design of India to deprive them of international support. “We caution the western countries not to fall prey to Indian propaganda and false narratives”, said Mand. 

Kanwar Pal Singh, another party senior leader read out the resolution. “The forthright reporting by foreign media outlets especially CBC, ABC, Al Jazeera at the international level in the case of Bhai Nijjar has punctured the hollow claims of the Indian Foreign Minister’s statement that “transnational operations are not our policy”, said Kanwar Pal.

He further said with the extradition of Indian agent Nikhil Gupta to America, it is now hoped that more secrets of target killings being engineered and authorized by the Indian external agencies will come into the open.

A resolution adopted during the gathering attended by hundreds of Sikhs stated that presently, the Sikhs who adhere to the ideology of Khalistan are on the target of the Indian state and the state is spending all its resources to carry out their target killings on foreign soil. 

The organizers blamed the troika of Home Minister, External Affairs Minister and National Security Advisor, for devising the policy of transnational repression on Sikh leaders.

Speakers observed circumstances demanded that India’s policy of transnational extrajudicial killings must be stopped. 

The resolution thanked Canada’s Justin Trudeau government for exposing India’s external intelligence agency RAW’s hand in Nijjar’s killings. The organizations participating in today’s samagam demanded from Canada to more specifically name the brains behind the assassination of Nijjar and punish the hands that pulled the gun as per the law as soon as possible. 

Advocate Simaranjit SIngh read out the message of Sikh detainee Jagtar SIngh Tara. Another Sikh political prisoner Jagtar Singh Hawara also sent his message. Both paid rich tributes to Bhai Nijjar. Bhai Tara was a close companion of Nijjar. 

Slain Sikh activist Deep Sidhu’s brother Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Tarsem Singh, father of Amritpal Singh also attended the event. SGPC members Ajaib Singh and Bhagwant Singh Sialka and Damdami Taksal Mehta spokesperson Sukhdev Singh were present on the occasion.

Notably, the Indian government has repeatedly refuted the allegations being leveled by Canada in case of Nijjar’s assassination. 

Meanwhile, Canadian Parliament also paid tribute to Nijjar on his first death anniversary by holding one minute silence in the house.