AI Generated Summary
- Last November, he was charged for his role in a violent attack on Hindu-Canadian worshippers at a temple in the Greater Toronto Area.
- He has been the chief organiser of Sikhs for Justice’s (SFJ) separatist campaigns in Canada and the right-hand man of Pannun, a designated terrorist with a global footprint.
- The arrest of Gosal is a step in the right direction—but unless Ottawa follows through with meaningful action, it risks sending yet another dangerous figure back onto the streets.
The arrest of Inderjit Singh Gosal, a close aide of Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, should be a wake-up call for Canada. Gosal, now facing multiple firearms charges in Ottawa, is no fringe activist. He has been the chief organiser of Sikhs for Justice’s (SFJ) separatist campaigns in Canada and the right-hand man of Pannun, a designated terrorist with a global footprint.
This is Gosal’s second arrest in less than a year. Last November, he was charged for his role in a violent attack on Hindu-Canadian worshippers at a temple in the Greater Toronto Area. Despite the severity of the crime, he walked free on conditional release—a decision that now appears not only short-sighted but reckless. In the meantime, he seamlessly took over the Khalistan referendum campaign after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another extremist linked to banned terror groups like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
A Safe Haven for Extremism
Canada prides itself on liberal values, free speech, and multiculturalism. Yet, those very freedoms are being cynically exploited by extremist outfits such as SFJ, BKI, and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). These groups, much like Hamas or Hezbollah, fund their separatist agenda through illicit activities—fraud, drug trafficking, crypto transactions, and even auto theft—while disguising their operations as “advocacy.”
The 2025 Finance Report and recent CSIS assessments explicitly warn that Canada has become a hub for terror financing. Yet, Ottawa’s response has been tepid. Why are organisations openly linked to violence, banned in India and elsewhere, still allowed to operate on Canadian soil? Why are their leaders freely staging referendums and inciting hatred under the garb of democratic expression?
A Test for Canada-India Relations
The timing of Gosal’s arrest is significant. Only last week, India and Canada agreed to reset their ties and work together against terrorism and transnational crime. If Ottawa is serious about this new chapter, it must prove that its commitment is more than diplomatic lip service.
Allowing extremists like Gosal and his patrons to flourish not only jeopardises Canada’s security but also damages its credibility as a responsible international partner. When Canadian soil is used to promote separatist violence abroad, the blowback at home is inevitable.
Time for Firm Action
It is not enough to detain extremists temporarily, only to release them with a slap on the wrist. Canada must:
- Crack down on Khalistani outfits—designate them as terrorist organisations under Canadian law.
- Disrupt financial pipelines—cut off the illicit funding streams identified by intelligence reports.
- Reinforce law enforcement—ensure that violent agitators are prosecuted fully, not conditionally released.
- Protect all communities—Hindu-Canadians, Sikh moderates, and others who have been intimidated or attacked deserve safety.
The arrest of Gosal is a step in the right direction—but unless Ottawa follows through with meaningful action, it risks sending yet another dangerous figure back onto the streets.
For too long, the country has treated Khalistani extremism as someone else’s problem. It is Canada’s problem now.
