Canada permits entry to man who 'housed and fed' Khalistani militants in India

A Canadian immigration tribunal has made a significant ruling regarding a Sikh man who "housed and fed" Khalistani militants for over a decade in India.

The court has allowed the man entry into Canada, based on the premise that his actions were driven "mostly out of necessity" and fear of retribution.

A safehouse for militants

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board tribunal member Heidi Worsfold in a ruling declared that the Canadian government lacked reasonable grounds to declare Indian citizen Kamaljit Ram inadmissible to enter Canada over his alleged involvement in providing a "safe house" and "logistical support" to Khalistani militants.

The tribunal ruled that the Sikh man, who had "housed and fed" armed Khalistani militants in India over a decade, did so primarily "out of necessity" and a genuine fear of repercussions, reports the National Post newspaper.

Earlier barring overturned

Previously, the Canadian government had taken the decision to bar Ram from entering the country.

The decision was made after he revealed to Canada Border Services Agency officers during an interview that he had "on and off" sheltered and fed armed Sikh militants on his farm in India between 1982 and 1992.

However, Worsfold found that the government's evaluation of Ram's involvement with the armed militants during that time was overly harsh.

As per the judgement, the government had failed to acknowledge that Ram had repeatedly said that he had provided shelter to these individuals because he was afraid of the "consequences" if he had refused.

India-Canada ties hit by Khalistan row

This ruling comes at a time when India and Canada experience frigidity in their relations. Tension between the two nations escalated when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made allegations of 'potential' involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. These claims were vehemently rejected by India and labelled as 'absurd' and 'motivated.'

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canada-based pro-Khalistani, was killed on Canadian soil on 18 June 2023. Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was shot and killed in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

Following the killing, relations between India and Canada have soured significantly, with the Canadian government expelling a senior Indian diplomat. In retaliation, India too expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.

(With inputs from agencies)

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