GENEVA: Moninder Singh says he will not back down after learning of new assassination threats against his family in Canada, vowing to continue speaking out despite growing risks.
“We won’t be silenced,” said the chairman of the Sikh Federation of Canada while addressing concerns at the United Nations’ European headquarters in Geneva.
Singh has been urging international action over what Sikh activists describe as India’s targeting of members of their community abroad — allegations India strongly denies.
The issue gained global attention after the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a close associate of Singh, who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in a suburb of Vancouver. Then Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of involvement — a claim New Delhi rejected — sparking a major diplomatic rift and expulsions of diplomats on both sides.
Although ties have since improved under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Singh criticised Ottawa for restoring relations without accountability.
“It’s deeply disturbing,” he said, accusing authorities of engaging with those he believes are responsible for violence against Canadian citizens.
Singh is linked to the Khalistan movement, which advocates for an independent Sikh state — a long-standing and contentious issue between India and countries with large Sikh diasporas.
‘Imminent threat’
Canadian authorities had warned both Singh and Nijjar of credible threats even before the 2023 killing. Singh said he initially struggled to believe such attacks could happen on foreign soil.
“We were obviously wrong,” he said, adding that Nijjar’s death strengthened his resolve to continue activism.
Since then, Singh says he has received three separate police warnings about threats to his life. The most recent, delivered last month, cited an “imminent” assassination risk to him, his wife, and their two children.
While Canadian police have not publicly confirmed who is behind the threat, Singh believes he is being targeted due to his political activities.
“Am I worried about my family? Of course,” he said. “But that won’t make me stop.”
UN concern grows
Singh and other activists are now pressing the UN to step up scrutiny of what they call transnational repression.
Ben Saul, an independent UN expert, said there is a need for stronger focus on such cases. He was among several experts who formally raised concerns with India over Nijjar’s killing in 2024.
According to Saul, the response from Indian authorities was unsatisfactory, with officials largely dismissing the allegations.
“We’re still alarmed,” he said, warning that pressure on Sikh activists abroad appears to be intensifying rather than easing.
As tensions persist, Singh insists his message remains unchanged: silence, he says, is not an option.