Inderjeet Gosal, linked to Sikhs for Justice, has been arrested in connection with the recent attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton, Canada, as growing tensions draw international attention.

Canadian police recently arrested Inderjeet Gosal, 35, in connection with the violent attack at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The attack took on a shocking magnitude when, on November 3, Khalistan extremists attacked Hindu-Canadian worshipers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton.

Peel Regional Police say a protest, which started as a peaceful demonstration with flags and banners, turned violent. Inderjeet Gosal was released on conditions, but will soon appear again in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton.

Inderjeet Gosal, coordinator of the SFJ group, is said to be one of the masterminds of the pro-Khalistan movement operating from Canada. SFJ is a banned Indian separatist group pushing for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan in Punjab. The government also accused Gosal of playing a leading role in the temple attack, during which Indian consular officials were allegedly present.

Gosal is considered the successor to the group’s most significant figure, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was assassinated in British Columbia in June 2023. Gosal has now established himself as lieutenant of the general counsel of the SFJ, Gurpatwant Singh Pannunwho was declared a terrorist by India.

Gosal’s pro-Khalistan stand

Gosal became an important figure in the pro-Khalistan movement, succeeding Nijjar and consolidating his position within the SFJ. In a recent candid interview, Gosal hinted at his unwavering commitment to the cause, saying: “I know what I signed up for; death doesn’t scare me”; he stressed the need for an independent Sikh homeland. His comments reflect the deep emotions that drive the Khalistan movement, a secessionist cause that saw anti-Sikh violence in India revive it in the 1980s.

Gosal and his friends apparently clashed with Hindu-Canadian worshipers when an incident occurred in Brampton, further straining ties between Canada and India. Gosal’s advocacy of the Khalistan referendum, a highly controversial campaign for a separate Sikh state, further exacerbated differences between the two countries.

Canadian police recently issued a “duty to warn” to Gosal after he allegedly threatened to use violence against pro-Khalistan activists. However, according to the SFJ, the real reason they targeted Gosal was because he and others were participating in a demonstration against the temple, to protest the presence of a consul.

The attack on the temple and Gosal’s involvement in the violence prompted responses from Canadian civil society leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack, saying it requires unity and respect between communities. Criticism on another level was voiced by Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya, who said: “Our country’s leaders have failed to protect Hindus. » The Indian High Commission in Canada further denounced the “violent disturbances” at the consular camp, calling them an attack perpetrated by anti-Indian elements.

Broader impact on India-Canada relations

It also stretched diplomatic relations already underway between New Delhi and Ottawa due to the recent attack on a temple in Brampton. The Sikh diaspora in Canada is one of the largest in the world and demands for Khalistan have been heard since time immemorial. This question remains sensitive. India was very concerned about the separatist activities of various groups in Canada, particularly those led by figures like Gosal. His association with the attack and his position within the SFJ only add to the diplomatic distance between these two countries.

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