Punjab's Sikhs fear Canada-India row threatens them at home, abroad


Himmat Singh Nijjar, 79, uncle of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, sits inside his house after an interview with Reuters at village Bharsingpura, in Jalandhar district of the northern state of Punjab, India, September 21, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

BHARSINGHPURA, India (Reuters) - A bitter row between India and Canada over the murder of a Sikh separatist is being felt in Punjab, where some Sikhs fear both a backlash from India's Hindu-nationalist government and a threat to their prospects for a better life in North America.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a plumber who left the north Indian state a quarter-century ago and became a Canadian citizen, was shot dead in June outside a temple in a Vancouver suburb where he was a separatist leader among the many Sikhs living there.

The Star Festive Promo: Get 35% OFF Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Zimbabwe no longer keen on raw mineral exports, says president
IOC President Coventry defends Olympic neutrality
WFP warns deepening hunger crisis in Somalia amid aid cuts
French soldier dies after being accidentally shot in head during drunken evening in barracks
1st LD: U.S. Supreme Court rules Trump administration's sweeping tariffs illegal
U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling could curb Trump's "unlimited, arbitrary tariffs": senior EP official
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-wife 'Fergie' also undone by Epstein ties
Chinese couple makes Milan-Cortina history with dual aerials golds (updated)
EAC vows stronger efforts to ease regional trade obstacles
Food aid in Somalia could halt within weeks due to funding shortages, WFP warns

Others Also Read