Thousands gather in Surrey to honour slain Sikh activist 1 year after his death

A largecrowd gathered at a Surrey, B.C.gurdwara Sunday to remember Sikh activist and community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjarin the lead up to the one-year anniversary of his high-profile killing.

A prominent proponent of an independent Sikh state, Nijjar was gunned down outsidethe Guru Nanak Gurdwara the templewhere he also served as president on June 18, 2023. Police have since arrested and charged four Indian citizens with first-degree murder.

Nearly a year after Nijjar's killing, thousands of Sikhs from across Canada and other countries travelled to the gurdwara to honour him. The prayer service will continue until Tuesday, the anniversary of his death.

"We're honestly just trying to fill in the shoes that he left behind and just have the same impact or do something for our community," said Bhawleen Singh, who came from Toronto.

Singh and other attendees saidthat Nijjar's killingis part of the long-running oppression that Sikhs have faced in India and abroad. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also said repeatedly there is credible information pointing to the Indian government's involvement, which has strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated New Delhi, which had labelled Nijjar a "terrorist."

"We need to get justice, we need to get closure and we need to alleviate the risks that are continued to be faced by Sikhs in Canada," said Jatinder Singh, a director of Sikhs for Justice, which advocates for an independent state from India.

"The intimidation and the continued acts of violence being perpetrated here by foreign powers must stop."

WATCH |Our reporter breaks down his reporting on arrests in Sikh activist's killing:

Our reporter breaks down his reporting on arrests in Sikh activist's killing

3 months ago

Duration 3:11

CBC News senior reporter Evan Dyer breaks down his exclusive reporting on the arrests made in connection to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and the increasingly blurring lines between organized crime and Indian foreign policy.

As the investigation into Nijjar's murder continues, attendeessay the federal government needs to do more torestore the community's sense of safety.

Gurkeerat Singh, the gurdwara's spokesperson, said the four men arrestedare "mere foot soldiers" of the Indian governmentand called for an independent inquiry to determine who exactlyordered Nijjar's killing. He noted that there has also been an assassination attempt on a Sikh activist in the United States, and authorities there have accused an Indian official of directing the plot.

Meanwhile, Jatinder Singh of Sikhs for Justicesaid he wants to see sanctions against those responsible.

"We wait for the wheels of justice to turn," Singh said. "It's a slow turn but it's going in the correct direction."

WATCH |Trudeau, Modi meet for 1st time since assassination of B.C. Sikh leader:

Trudeau, Modi meet for 1st time since assassination of B.C. Sikh leader

2 months ago

Duration 1:55

On the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time since Canada publicly accused India's government of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The event also came a few days after Trudeau and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was recently re-elected, shook hands at the G7 Summit in Italy.

Trudeau told reporters that he spoke to Modi about several issues, but he wouldn't specify whether it included allegations about the Indian government's involvement in Nijjar's killing. Recent government reports have also namedIndia as a foreign state actor that tried interfering in Canadian elections.