{"id":177049,"date":"2025-06-14T08:59:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T03:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=177049"},"modified":"2025-06-14T08:59:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T03:59:18","slug":"inviting-modi-to-g7-undermines-canadas-democratic-values-sikh-communitys-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/2025\/06\/14\/inviting-modi-to-g7-undermines-canadas-democratic-values-sikh-communitys-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Inviting Modi to G7 undermines Canada\u2019s democratic values, Sikh community\u2019s safety"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Humayun Aziz Sandeela<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-177050\" src=\"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/assests\/2025\/06\/image_2025-06-14_084553954-200x220.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"286\" height=\"315\" \/>When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming G7 summit, it was seen by many as a gesture of diplomatic engagement with the leader of the world\u2019s most populous democracy. But for thousands of Canadians\u2014particularly those from the Sikh community\u2014it has landed as a blow to their safety, dignity, and trust in the very institutions meant to protect them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_177051\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-177051\" style=\"width: 336px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-177051 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/cdn\/2025\/06\/kkjjjuu-336x220.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"336\" height=\"220\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-177051\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Moninder Singh, spokesperson BC Gurdwaras Council and Sikh Federation Canada, right, responds to a reporters question as he is joined by Balpreet Singh, spokesperson, World Sikh Organization of Canada, during press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>More than a dozen Canadian Sikhs are reportedly living under active assassination threats. These aren\u2019t vague or unsubstantiated fears; these are real, police-acknowledged threats, and according to the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO), they trace directly back to the Indian state.<\/p>\n<p>That the Canadian government, in full knowledge of this, is choosing to roll out the red carpet for the man under whose leadership this transnational repression has accelerated, is deeply troubling.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Dangerous Precedent<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>India\u2019s targeting of Canadian citizens, particularly those from the Sikh diaspora who speak out for human rights and the Khalistani movement, has moved from suspicion to open confirmation. The killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in 2023 marked a dark turning point. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau\u2019s revelation in Parliament that credible intelligence linked Indian government agents to Nijjar\u2019s murder shattered the illusion that foreign interference was limited to cyber attacks or misinformation campaigns. This was an alleged state-sponsored assassination on Canadian soil.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Modi G7 invite sends message &#039;our lives simply don\u2019t matter&#039;: Sikh organization\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U5UZlNwf0tk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Now, with the G7 summit in sight, the message Canada appears to be sending is not one of strength and sovereignty, but of appeasement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Modi\u2019s Presence Isn\u2019t Symbolic\u2014It\u2019s Alarming<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Welcoming Modi is not merely about diplomatic engagement\u2014it\u2019s about choosing priorities. Modi\u2019s government has repeatedly been accused of silencing dissent, enabling sectarian violence, and undermining press freedom. For Sikhs, Kashmiris, Muslims, Dalits, and other marginalized groups in India, Modi\u2019s regime symbolizes systematic state oppression. For many Canadians, especially Sikhs, his presence at a forum like the G7\u2014meant to be a gathering of liberal democracies\u2014is a contradiction of everything the summit stands for.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Balpreet Singh of the WSO and Moninder Singh of the Sikh Federation (Canada) made powerful statements this week on Parliament Hill, detailing how threats from India have forced them to change the way they live: avoiding public spaces, skipping their children\u2019s school events, and constantly fearing for their lives.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That this kind of fear is being tolerated in a country like Canada, which prides itself on human rights and freedom of expression, should be unthinkable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where Is the Accountability?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Canadian law enforcement agencies have confirmed these threats and, in some cases, offered protective detail. But many affected individuals, including high-profile figures like former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, reportedly no longer receive such protection\u2014even as the threats persist. This inconsistency reflects poorly on our national security protocols and raises urgent questions about whether political considerations are outweighing the safety of Canadian citizens.<\/p>\n<p>The call for a public inquiry into Indian foreign interference isn\u2019t just about protecting the Sikh community\u2014it\u2019s about protecting Canadian democracy. Foreign powers should never be allowed to intimidate or harm Canadians with impunity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Beyond Optics: Real Diplomacy Requires Boundaries<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Supporters of the Modi invitation argue that his participation is crucial given India\u2019s growing geopolitical weight. They say India must be &#8220;part of the conversation.&#8221; But the real question is: What kind of conversation?<\/p>\n<p>If Canada wants to lead on the global stage, it must stand for democratic integrity\u2014not just strategic alliances. That means drawing clear lines when a partner nation is credibly accused of targeting your citizens.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Time for Political Courage<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Trudeau government once showed political courage by publicly naming India in Nijjar\u2019s killing. The current administration must now show similar resolve. Rescinding Modi\u2019s G7 invitation would send a powerful message: Canada does not tolerate foreign interference or state-sponsored violence against its citizens\u2014no matter how large or influential the foreign state might be.<\/p>\n<p>The G7 is not just a diplomatic event. It\u2019s a platform that reflects the values of its host country. For Canada to allow Modi a seat at that table while ignoring the cries of its own Sikh citizens would be a tragic abdication of its moral responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>This is not about diplomacy. It\u2019s about decency. And right now, Canadian Sikhs\u2014and all Canadians who believe in justice\u2014are watching closely.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Humayun Aziz Sandeela When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended an invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming G7 summit, it was seen by many as a gesture of diplomatic engagement with the leader of the world\u2019s most populous democracy. But for thousands of Canadians\u2014particularly those from the Sikh community\u2014it has landed &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":177050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177049"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177049\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/177050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kashmirinsight.com\/journal\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}