'Visit on another date': Khalistani outfit tells Indo-Canadians ahead of siege of Indian consulate in Vancouver

Pro-Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice on Wednesday threatened to "siege" the Indian consulate in Vancouver. The group said in a notice that it would take over the Indian consulate on Thursday.

It also asked Indo-Canadians to visit the consulate on another date.  The development comes as India and Canada resume diplomatic ties.

"Indo-Canadians planning routine visits to the Vancouver Indian Consulate on 18 September are advised to refrain and choose another date. Pro-Khalistan Sikhs — torchbearers of Shaheed Nijjar — will lay a historic "SIEGE" of the Consulate to demand accountability for Indian state-directed espionage and intimidation on Canadian soil," the notice read. 

They also released a poster featuring Dinesh Patnaik, the Indian High Commissioner of Canada, with a target mark. They called Patnaik the "new face of India's Hindutva terror in Canada". 

The SFJ also accused Indians of carrying out espionage activities targeting Khalistanis. 

"Two years on, Indian consulates continue to run spy networks and surveillance targeting Khalistan Referendum campaigners. The threat is so grave that the RCMP has offered 'Witness Protection' to Inderjeet Ghosal, who assumed leadership of the Khalistan Referendum campaign after Shaheed Nijjar's martyrdom."

It further mentioned that on the same date two years ago, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Parliament that the Indian agents' role was under investigation in the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 

Earlier this month, an internal report from the Canadian government revealed that extremist Khalistani groups were receiving financial backing from individuals and networks within Canada.

For the first time, Canada's top intelligence agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), publicly acknowledged that Khalistani extremists continue to use Canadian territory to promote their cause, raise funds, and plan violent actions mainly targeting India.

"Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India," the CSIS said its report. 

These groups include Babbar Khalsa International and the International SYF, both designated as terrorist organizations under Canada's Criminal Code. The report also mentioned that these extremists now primarily operate through small, loosely connected individuals supporting the Khalistan cause without formal ties to any specific organization.