India-Canada row ‘like a Netflix movie,’ says Deepak Shenoy: Hardeep Nijjar emerges as ‘unlikely villain’

Deepak Shenoy, founder and CEO of Capitalmind, recently shared his thoughts on the escalating diplomatic tension between India and Canada, likening the situation to a gripping Netflix film. “This India Canada thing is like a Netflix movie waiting to happen”, Shenoy wrote on X.

His comments come in the wake of significant developments, including India's expulsion of six Canadian diplomats on October 14, following Canada’s identification of India’s High Commissioner as a “person of interest” in the Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar case.

A Story of an Unlikely Villain

Deepak Shenoy remarked on social media, “I hadn't even heard of Nijjar before, and no one I know did, but he's turning out to be this unlikely villain in what seems to be a story that will be told in hushed whispers.”

To Shenoy's post, one X user commented, “Netflix means anti-India narrative!!”

His comments reflect a broader sentiment regarding the relatively unknown status of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Nijjar prior to the diplomatic fallout, which has captured international attention.

Canada Alleges Amit Shah's involvement in Nijjar Killing

The Canadian government has alleged that Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah orchestrated plots targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. This accusation was underscored by Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison during a parliamentary session, where he discussed the allegations with The Washington Post. However, India has categorically dismissed these claims as “absurd.”

Canada told India about Shah's alleged role in the plots around October 2023, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously cited "credible" evidence implicating Indian government involvement in the assassination of Nijjar on Canadian soil. In contrast, Indian officials have rejected these assertions, calling them baseless.

India-Canada Row: Escalating Diplomatic Fallout

The crisis deepened further this week as Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police revealed that Indian diplomats were allegedly sharing information about Sikh separatists with organised crime groups in India.

This alleged collaboration has reportedly led to a series of violent incidents, including drive-by shootings and extortion attempts against Canadian citizens supporting the Khalistan movement—a separatist campaign seeking an independent Sikh state in India.

In connection with Hardeep Nijjar's murder, four Indian nationals residing in Canada have been charged and are awaiting trial. The diplomatic standoff has also seen Sanjay Kumar Verma, India's High Commissioner to Canada, expelled alongside five other Indian diplomats.

Wider Implications of India-Canada Row

The allegations against Indian officials are not confined to Canada. The US Justice Department recently announced charges against Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, related to a foiled assassination plot targeting a Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.

India has repeatedly criticized the Canadian government for being soft on supporters of what is known as the Khalistan movement, which is banned in India but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.