Thousands gather in Surrey, B.C., to honour slain Sikh activist 1 year after his death

A large crowd gathered at a Surrey, B.C. gurdwara Sunday to remember Sikh activist and community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the lead up to the one-year anniversary of his high-profile killing. 

A prominent proponent of an independent Sikh state, Nijjar was gunned down outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara – the temple where he also served as president – on June 18, 2023. Police have since arrested and charged four Indian citizens with first-degree murder.

Nearly a year after Nijjar’s killing, thousands of Sikhs from across Canada and other countries travelled to the gurdwara to honour him. The prayer service will continue until Tuesday, the anniversary of his death. 

“We’re honestly just trying to fill in the shoes that he left behind and just have the same impact or do something for our community,” said Bhawleen Singh, who came from Toronto. 

Singh and other attendees said that Nijjar’s killing is part of the long-running oppression that Sikhs have faced in India and abroad. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also said repeatedly there is credible information pointing to the Indian government’s involvement, which has strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated New Delhi, which had labelled Nijjar a “terrorist.”

“We need to get justice, we need to get closure and we need to alleviate the risks that are continued to be faced by Sikhs in Canada,” said Jatinder Singh, a director of Sikhs for Justice, which advocates for an independent state from India. 

“The intimidation and the continued acts of violence being perpetrated here by foreign powers must stop.”

As the investigation into Nijjar’s murder continues, attendees say the federal government needs to do more to restore the community’s sense of safety.

Gurkeerat Singh, the gurdwara’s spokesperson, said the four men arrested are “mere foot soldiers” of the Indian government and called for an independent inquiry to determine who exactly ordered Nijjar’s killing. He noted that there has also been an assassination attempt on a Sikh activist in the United States, and authorities there have accused an Indian official of directing the plot.

Meanwhile, Jatinder Singh of Sikhs for Justice said he wants to see sanctions against those responsible.   

“We wait for the wheels of justice to turn,” Singh said. “It’s a slow turn but it’s going in the correct direction.”

The event also came a few days after Trudeau and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was recently re-elected, shook hands at the G7 Summit in Italy. 

Trudeau told reporters that he spoke to Modi about several issues, but he wouldn’t specify whether it included allegations about the Indian government’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing. Recent government reports have also named India as a foreign state actor that tried interfering in Canadian elections.