'Nijjar wasn't Canadian, revoke his citizenship', demands opposition leader: Here is how the Khalistani leader became Canadian

Adding a new twist to the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an opposition politician has now questioned why the Khalistani separatist leader was being described as a Canadian citizen. Maxime Bernier, the leader of the People¡¯s Party of Canada, claimed that Nijjar was a foreign terrorist who fraudulently tried to claim asylum in the country.

CREDIT: REUTERS

'Nijjar was a Canadian is a myth'

According to Bernier, "Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Khalistani militant who was murdered last year, was Canadian" was a "myth that should be dispelled."

"He was actually a foreign terrorist who used fraudulent documents to claim asylum in Canada several times starting in 1997. His claims were rejected but he was nevertheless allowed to stay in this country and was somehow granted citizenship in 2007," Bernier said.

'Fix the mistake by taking away his citizenship'

He even suggested that Canada should revoke his citizenship posthumously to correct the previous mistake.

"We should perhaps posthumously revoke his citizenship to correct this administrative error. He should have been deported after his initial fraudulent asylum claim, like the hundreds of thousands of fake asylum claimants who are in Canada right now," he said.

If true, allegations made by the RCMP and the Liberal government that Indian diplomats participated in criminal activities on our territory are very serious and should be dealt with. So far however, we haven¡¯t been given any proof. And Trudeau is clearly using this crisis to¡­ pic.twitter.com/wM2dR8FMHl

¡ª Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) October 17, 2024

How Ravi Sharma became Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar

This is not the first time Nijjar's Canadian citizenship has come under scrutiny.

Nijjar entered Canada in 1997 using a fake passport in the name of one Ravi Sharma and applied for asylum, claiming that he feared persecution in India because he belonged to "a particular social group".

CREDIT: REUTERS

However, this was rejected after his claims were identified as a 'fabricated narrative'.

Nijjar's next attempt at getting Canadian citizenship was a sham "marriage" to a woman who sponsored his immigration. This too was rejected after it emerged that the woman had entered Canada the same year as Nijjar, under the sponsorship of a different husband. Nijjar filed an appeal, and in 2007, he was granted Canadian citizenship.

Also read: How 'Ravi Sharma' Entered Canada, Faked Marriage To Get Canadian Citizenship

How Trudeau got carried away

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went on a diplomatic war with India over the killing of Nijjar, arguing that the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil was a violation of the country's sovereignty, even when he himself admitted to not having any evidence against India.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.