‘Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s supporters describe him as KTF member’: Photo goes viral

Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been described by his supporters as a member of the Khalistan Tiger Force in a photo put up at a Gurdwara in Canada.

The video has gone viral as several social media commentators, including Canada journalist Daniel Bordman, pointed out that when Nijjar’s followers accepted that he was a member of the Khalistan Tiger Force, the Canadian government waged a diplomatic war against India. “Just supporters of Hardeep Singh Nijjar describing him as a member of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), a group described on Wikipedia as a “militant faction of the Khalistani movement” and listed as a terrorist organization in India,” Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman tweeted.

Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a Gurudwara that he headed. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly alleged that India was behind the killing leading to a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. As the fallout continued, India suspended its visa service in Canada and asked Canada to withdraw 41 of its diplomats posted in India.

Justin Trudeau said Canada does not want any escalation in the issue and rather wants to work with New Delhi, while Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly said talks with India in private are on.

As far as the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar is concerned, India told Canada that such targetted killing is not India’s policy and that Canada should provide any specific intelligence if they have. India however alerted Canada not only about Nijjar but many Khalistani leaders being harboured in Canada. Nijjar was not a religious preacher but a killer, India informed Canada.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar fled India in 1997 using a fake passport and a fake name – Ravi Sharma. He was named on the most-wanted list in 2018 that then Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh handed over to Justin Trudeau. In 2019, he was elected unopposed to head the Surret Gurdwara. Indian intelligence reports claimed that he got the position by threatening his cousin and former head Raghbir Singh Nijjar