Pro Khalistan posters in Canada glorify mastermind of 1985 Air India bombing

Posters promoting a pro-Khalistan rally, which glorify Talwinder Parmar, alleged mastermind of the 1985 Air India bombing, have been seen at various locations in Canada. The posters refer to Parmar as “Shaheed Bhai Talwinder Parmar” and advertise a car rally to be held on June 25, which seeks an investigation into “India’s role in 1985 Kanishka bombing”.

The car rally is scheduled to run from Toronto’s Great Punjab Business Centre to Air India 182 Memorial. Terry Milewski, an expert on the Khalistan movement, has criticized the move, stating that Canadian Khalistanis have picked a “psychopath” as their poster boy, and that Parmar led the bomb plot that killed 331 innocents.

“Ensuring that their reputation stays at rock-bottom, Canadian Khalistanis again pick as their poster boy the psychopath who bombed Air India, Talwinder Parmar. He murdered 331 innocents for nothing. And – a grotesque twist – he’ll be honoured at the memorial to his victims.” Tweeted Terry Milewski by lashing out at Pro Khalistanis.

“It’s another mad bid to whitewash Canada’s worst-ever mass-murderer by demanding that Canada “investigate India’s role” in the bombing. But decades of investigations proved that India had no such role and that Parmar led the bomb plot. The rally is about spreading a lie.” added Terry Milewski in his tweet.

Ensuring that their reputation stays at rock-bottom, Canadian Khalistanis again pick as their poster boy the psychopath who bombed Air India, Talwinder Parmar. He murdered 331 innocents for nothing. And – a grotesque twist – he'll be honoured at the memorial to his victims. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/7feI5UDCQb

— Terry Milewski (@CBCTerry) June 17, 2023

there has been a surge in Khalistani-related incidents and anti-India activities in Canada. The Khalistan movement, demanding a separate Sikh state, has its roots traced back to Canada in the 1980s and 1990s. Canada provided an ideal place for Sikhs to seek refuge as it had a similar ratio of Sikh population as India and weak laws which made it difficult to prosecute anyone who had committed a crime elsewhere.

The movement was funded by Pakistan ISI through key separatist leaders in Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has a political compulsion to ignore anti-India voices in Canada due to his need for support from the New Democratic Party, led by a separatist. The rise in pro-Khalistan activities has led to attacks and vandalism on temples, pro-India groups, diplomatic missions, and even a park named after the Bhagavad Gita in Brampton.