How Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing has led to rise in Khalistan terror in US, Canada

The Indian consulate in San Francisco was set on fire allegedly by Khalistani separatists. This comes days after posters targeting Indian diplomats were circulated in Canada announcing a ‘Khalistan Freedom Rally’ on 8 July. Why is there a rise in anti-India activities Diya TV, a local channel, shared a video, which was released by Khalistani supporters, which showed the consulate on fire. The blaze was brought under control by the San Francisco fire department. No staff was harmed in the attack and no major damages were reported to the building.

The threat of the Khalistan movement is growing overseas and Indian diplomatic facilities have become regular targets. The latest attack has been on the Indian consulate in San Francisco, United States. The building was set ablaze between 1.30 am and 2.30 am on Sunday allegedly by Khalistani supporters. This is the second attack on the consulate in five months; the first was in March.

Supporters of the Khalistani movement, a separatist movement seeking to establish a sovereign state for Sikhs in India’s Punjab, released a video of the attack. Cameras were set up outside the consulate to capture the arson and send out a message to India.Khalistani groups have also released a poster targeting the Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, after the arson. In the new poster, Sandhu and TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General, Consulate General of India, San Francisco, have been accused of playing a role in the killing of Nijjar.

Two Indian diplomats in Canada were also targeted in a poster titled “Kill India” reportedly circulated by Sikh extremists. They were accused of playing a role in the terrorist’s death. The poster, which was doing the rounds on social media, featured photographs of India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma and Consul General in Toronto Apoorva Srivastav. Above their images, the caption read, “‘Faces of Shaheed Nijjar’s Killers in Toronto”.