There is a new term, “transnational repression,” that is being used commonly by international media. The simple definition is the targeting of political opponents across borders through assassination, abductions, and other means.
On March 16, 2023, a group of United States senators introduced the Transnational Repression Policy Act, which aims to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable for stalking, intimidating, or assaulting people across the border, including in the US. The history is full of assassination stories across borders by many countries, mostly by the state of Israel. The MOSSAD agents carried out the most ambitious covert operation to kill Palestinians (Fatah affiliated group) involved in the killing of Israeli athletes in Munich, Germany, on 5th and 6th September 1972. The operation was approved by Prime Minister Golda Meir, and it was code-named ‘Wrath of GOD’ aka ‘Operation Bayonet’, which continued for 20 years.
According to the media, the MOSSAD has since 2009 assassinated many Iranians linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the country’s nuclear programme. Since 2007, six of the top Iranian nuclear scientists have been assassinated, including the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020. The recent assassination of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar by the Indian RAW has raised many questions about the Indian role in transnational repression. India raised ‘Establishment 22’, a special secret force in 1962, drawn from the Tibetan refugees settled in India. They are trained for covert operations behind enemy lines to keep an eye on China. Presently, there are reports of their deployment in eastern Ladakh. India has a history of carrying out such operations. On June 9, 2015, the Indian army crossed over the border into Myanmar and struck the bases of the Naga separatists in retaliation against an ambush in Manipur. In 2009, India also carried out operations in Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh to capture wanted Indian militants.
In recent years, some prominent supporters of the Khalistan movement have been eliminated in a systematic manner. The Sikhs are struggling for their identity and a separate homeland comprising areas of Jammu, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Indian Punjab. Sikhs are also demanding the removal of Article 25(b)(2) of the Indian Constitution, which says Sikhism is part of Hindu religion. Some prominent Kashmiri leaders were also assassinated in Pakistan by the agents of RAW. Riaz Kashmiri was shot dead in Rawalakot in September 2023. Bashir Ahmed was assassinated in February 2023 in Rawalpindi. Syed Khalid Raza was killed in February 2023 in Karachi. The recent killing of Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, has raised many questions. Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, confirmed to the House of Commons that the Canadian government has credible allegations of Indian involvement in the murder of Nijjar. The five eyes’ countries (US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) also shared intelligence with Canadian intelligence. He further added that killing a Canadian on its soil is a violation of Canadian sovereignty.
On June 15, 2022, Ripudaman Singh Malik, accused of bombing an Air India plane, was assassinated in Surrey, Canada. He was acquitted by the court of law of all charges in 2005. Paramjeet Singh Panjwar was assassinated in Lahore in May 2023. Avtar Singh Khanda, who was accused of targeting an Indian mission in the UK, was found dead in mysterious circumstances. His family claimed Khanda was poisoned in June 2023. The Lahore Johar town blast was also planned and executed by the agents of RAW, as already confirmed by intelligence agencies. The assassinations across the globe are linked to Doval’s (Indian National Security Advisor) doctrine of defensive-offensive. The government of India has rejected the allegations of their involvement in the assassination of Nijjar and instead accused the Canadian government of harbouring Sikh extremists. If the allegations are established, then there will be serious consequences for India, the Hindutva republic.
The fascist regime is overconfident because of its population, size, 5th largest economy, and being a member of important world organisations. The killing of Nijjar is not going to go away easily. Ultimately, the Five Eyes (FVEY) countries and the West will go with Canada. The killing of prominent Sikh leaders and continuous ridiculing of them in India and abroad will deepen the already-created wedge between the Sikhs and Hindus.
About Author
