India-Canada clash: “We will not tolerate any agenda to break India,” says Sikh leader amid Hardeep Singh Nijjar row

India vs Canada Diplomatic Clash: Amid the fierce diplomatic sabre-rattling between India and Canada, triggered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claims regarding Idia's involvement in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June, MS Bitta, the chairman of All-India Anti-Terrorist Front, on Tuesday asserted that there will never a separate the culture.  

While addressing media, the Sikh leader said in present-day India, which is more assertive and aspirational, such attempts by a handful of people to tarnish the community at the behest of neighbouring Pakistan, will not be tolerated.

"We will not tolerate if someone tries to peddle an agenda to break or splinter India,” said Bitta 

"I want to tell such people that India is no longer the country it used to be. We will not tolerate any attempts to show our community in a bad light. We won't allow any agenda peddled at Pakistan's behest to succeed," he added.

SGPC expresses concern over India-Canada clash

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday expressed concern over the developments in the aftermath of the Canadian PM's claim linking India to the killing of the separatist leader.

Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said Sikhs were a global community, and their human rights and religious concerns should be a priority. He highlighted the historical pain endured by the Sikh community, including events like the 1984 military attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib, the 1984 Sikh Genocide, and extrajudicial killings of Sikh youths. He stressed that Sikhs around the world still carry the memory of these painful events.

The SGPC president raised concerns about the recent developments related to the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. He noted that the expulsion of an Indian diplomatic officer by the Canadian government following allegations in this case was a serious matter that directly affected the global Sikh community.

“Today, the Sikhs are settled across the globe. Their human rights as well as religious concerns are of paramount importance for us. The Sikh community has been through many painful times, including the June 1984 military attack on Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib, the 1984 Sikh genocide and the extra-judicial killings of Sikh youths. Members of our community across the globe can never forget the pain inflicted by these horrific episodes,” the SGPC said in a statement.