
Top Mountie urges Sikh community to come forward as RCMP pushes ahead on India probe
CBC
The head of the RCMP is urging members of the Sikh community to speak out as police continue to investigate allegations linking the Indian government to a campaign of violence on Canadian soil.
On Monday, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme publicly alleged that agents of the government of India have played a role in "widespread" acts of violence in Canada, including homicides.
In an extraordinary long weekend news conference, Duheme alleged that Indian diplomats and consular officials in Canada have been linked to murders and acts of extortion, intimidation and coercion against Canadians and people living in Canada.
Duheme told reporters that the national force felt it had to come forward to disrupt the networks working in Canada, which he said pose a "significant threat to public safety in our country."
In a Tuesday interview with Radio-Canada, Duheme urged people with knowledge relevant to the RCMP's investigation to come forward.
"If people come forward, we can help them and I ask them to come forward if they can," he said.
"People come to Canada to feel safe, and our job as law enforcement is to make sure that they're in an environment that is safe to live."
Asked if members of the Indian diaspora should be concerned for their safety, Duheme said he hopes they "have trust and confidence in the police jurisdiction."
While taking questions about the investigations Monday, Assistant RCMP Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin said eight people have been charged in Canada with homicide. She also said 22 individuals stand charged with extortion.
The Mounties also said they've warned 13 Canadians since September 2023 that they are potential targets of harassment or threats by Indian agents. Some of those individuals have received multiple threats, Gauvin said.
Earlier Monday, Canada announced it's expelling six Indian diplomats. India has denied the RCMP's allegations and quickly retaliated by ordering six Canadian diplomats to leave the country within a week.
In a media statement, New Delhi rejected what it called the "preposterous imputations" of the Canadian allegations and accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of having a "political agenda" centred on "vote-bank politics," a term referring to voting blocs from specific communities.
The claims have undermined an already strained relationship between Canada and India. Tensions flared last year when Trudeau announced that Canada had evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi has denied the allegation.
"I think it is obvious that the government of India made a fundamental error in thinking that they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians, here on Canadian soil," said Trudeau Monday night.