Canadian media branding Khalistani terrorist as ‘Sikh leader’ dangerous erasure of facts: Report
Ottawa, Feb 21 (IANS) Canadian media outlets continue to label Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a “Sikh leader”, despite his pivotal role in a transnational web of extremism that blended separatism with terrorism, a report said on Saturday.
It added that in a world fractured by identity politics and selective narratives, the way the media portrays individuals can influence public opinion and policy with lasting impact. According to a report in Khalsa Vox, Nijjar, gunned down in Canada’s Surrey in June 2023, was recognised internationally as a designated terrorist, orchestrator of violent plots, and a leading figure in militant Khalistani groups.
“Yet, in a recent Global News Canada report, he is casually referred to as a ‘B.C. Sikh leader’. This isn’t mere semantics; it’s a dangerous erasure of facts, akin to dubbing Osama bin Laden a ‘Muslim leader’ while glossing over his role in al-Qaeda atrocities. Such whitewashing not only dishonours victims of terrorism but sets a precedent that emboldens extremists under the guise of community advocacy,” it detailed.
The report emphasised that this framing ignores the “blood on his hands” and reduces complex geopolitics to a narrow lens of victimhood.
“It’s reminiscent of how some media once softened portrayals of bin Laden as a ‘devout Muslim’ or ‘anti-imperialist fighter,’ downplaying his orchestration of mass murder. The parallel is stark: Both men used religious identity to cloak violent agendas, yet selective reporting elevates them to community icons,” it mentioned.
The report emphasised that the dangers of this whitewashing are manifold, particularly legitimising extremism within diaspora communities.
By presenting Nijjar merely as an advocate for Sikh rights and overlooking his grooming by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and training camps risks radicalising impressionable youth to equate separatism with heroism.
“This sets a global precedent. If the media can rebrand terrorists as ‘leaders’ based on cultural affiliations, it undermines the fight against all forms of extremism, be it Islamist, far-right, or separatist,” the report stressed.
The report noted that victims of violence unleashed by Nijjar-led terror group Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) in Punjab are sidelined in this narrative and Canada’s own history with Sikh militancy, including the Air India tragedy, should serve as a cautionary tale against such leniency.
“It’s time for accountability. Journalists must prioritise facts over feel-good framing, acknowledging Nijjar’s terrorist designations and activities without equivocation. Governments, too, should enforce consistent standards: Extradite based on evidence, not politics. Whitewashing terrorists doesn’t promote peace; it perpetuates cycles of violence. For the sake of global security, let’s call Nijjar what he was, not a leader, but a threat,” the report stated.
–IANS
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