Another duty to warn letter casts doubt on Carney's rapprochement with India
Carney government says India has stopped its threats, but RCMP continues to warn India's critics of danger
Another Sikh Canadian activist has been issued a "duty to warn" letter, casting further doubt on the Carney government's claims that it has dealt with the issue of Indian government foreign interference and transnational repression.
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it → warn → interference
Inderjeet Singh Gosal says he received the letter on Friday, Aug. 14, after RCMP contacted him by phone in Caledon, Ont.
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RCMP → say → Caledon
Duty to warn letters are issued by police when they possess credible intelligence that there is a threat to the life of a citizen.
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they → warn → citizen
They typically do not provide information on the nature of the threat.
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They → provide → threat
"They said there was a threat to my life and that they needed to see me immediately to provide me with that duty to warn in writing," Gosal told CBC News.
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Gosal → say → News
CBC News has seen the letter, which is signed by two RCMP members and by "Intended Victim" Inderjeet Singh Gosal.
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which → see → Gosal
(The targets of duty to warn letters are asked to sign to acknowledge receipt of the warning.)
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targets → warn → warning
Gosal said the RCMP verbally repeated an earlier offer to enrol him in a witness protection program, although he is not a witness in any criminal proceedings.
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he → say → proceedings
"They said that offer still stands and they were pushing towards that.
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they → say → that
But I respectfully declined because I would rather take India's bullet than stop campaigning for the Khalistan referendum," he said.
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he → decline → referendum
Khalistan is the name Sikh separatists give to their proposed independent Sikh homeland in India's Punjab region.
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separatists → give → region
A series of non-binding referendums held by the group Sikhs for Justice in Sikh diaspora communities around Europe, North America and Australia since 2021 has angered the Indian government.
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series → hold → government
Carney government says India threat is over — Sikh activists say not so fast
- Analysis
Senior RCMP officer's 'no evidence' comment about India seems to contradict past statements
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was leading the Canadian referendum campaign as deputy to international leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun when he was killed in Surrey, B.C., in June 2023.
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he → say → June
Pannun has since appointed Gosal to replace Nijjar as leader of the referendum campaign in Canada.
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Pannun → appoint → Canada
Gosal told CBC News that this latest letter is his sixth official police warning.
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letter → tell → News
Warnings keep coming
The letter is one of a number that have been issued by Canadian police since the Carney government began its rapprochement and normalization process with the Narendra Modi government.
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government → come → government
Relations between Canada and India hit a low point following the assassination of Nijjar, and allegations from the Trudeau government that the hit had been ordered by New Delhi to suppress the Khalistani movement overseas.
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hit → hit → movement
Both countries saw dramatic reductions in their diplomatic representations following tit-for-tat expulsions.
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countries → see → expulsions
The RCMP also held an unprecedented news conference in August 2024 to warn of an Indian government-inspired campaign of criminal violence across Canada.
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RCMP → hold → Canada
More recently, the Carney government has shown eagerness to move on from the dispute and focus on growing commercial and investment links with India.
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government → show → India
Canadian officials have said they are satisfied by assurances from the Indian government that it won't engage in illegal activities or foreign interference in Canada.
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it → say → Canada
And yet duty to warn letters have continued to be issued.
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duty → warn → letters
The letter issued to Gosal did not mention the government of India, but merely said "the police have determined that a threat has been made against your life.
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threat → issue → life
At this time, we are unable to provide you any further, specific details of the threat."
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we → provide → threat
UN asking questions
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UN → ask → questions
Canada has also faced questions from five UN rapporteurs, skeptical about its claims that it has addressed the issue of threats to Canadian citizens of Sikh origin, and focusing in particular on the case of British Columbia activist Moninder Singh who, like Inderjeet Singh Gosal, in involved in Sikh separatist politics.
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who → face → politics
Canada has assured the rapporteurs that it takes it duty to protect its citizens seriously.
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it → assure → citizens
But those who feel like targets of the Indian government are not assured, and point to the duty to warn letters as evidence that the government knows the threat continues.
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threat → feel → evidence
"I obviously appreciate the RCMP for performing their statutory duty and informing me about these active death threats," Gosal said.
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Gosal → appreciate → threats
"How can they justify resuming aggressive business and bilateral diplomatic outreach to India while the Modi regime continues to actively plan extrajudicial assassinations on Canadian citizens on Canadian soil?"
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regime → justify → soil
India has denied involvement with acts of violence in Canada, including the Nijjar killing.
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India → deny → killing
"My decision hasn't changed.
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decision → change → ?
I'm going to continue.
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I → go → ?
Oct. 18 is the next referendum, taking place in Edmonton, Alberta, and I'm going to continue organizing that and we'll go from there," Gosal said.
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Gosal → take → that
"This is the exact democratic exercise that the Indian government is trying to suppress through transnational repression.
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government → try → repression
So I know I'm a target for that, but that's not going to stop me."
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that → know → me
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