NEW DELHI: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) reversal of its earlier stance not only marks a major turning point in India-Canada diplomatic relations but also signals Canada’s conscious effort to reframe the official narrative surrounding the alleged activities of Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang.Discussing the Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s footprint in Canada’s criminal underworld, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duhem told the Canadian Press that some people may use the Bishnoi name as a parody. “So when we talk about the Bishnoi gangs, there are two things… the Nijjar case that is before the court, I will not comment on it. But there have also been some extortion documents that have come out in the last year that are related to the Bishnoi gangs or allegedly related to the Bishnoi gangs. Sometimes the challenge you have is that some groups may use the Bishnoi name in terms of extortion to further their cause. So sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to sort out,” he said.While the comment is significant because the Lawrence Bishnoi group – declared a terrorist organization in Canada – has been repeatedly accused of targeted killings and extortion threats recently, official sources believe the distinction also signals the government is moving towards a more nuanced, evidence-based approach that seeks to decouple local criminal opportunism from high-level transnational conspiracy. The RCMP also appears to be distinguishing its current investigation from broader, more explosive allegations of a widespread, centrally directed criminal network.The RCMP’s new stance, seen as the result of deliberations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney, as well as two NSA officers, Ajit Doval and Natalie G. Drouin, also comes as a setback for pro-Khalistan elements in Canada who have taken advantage of Ottawa’s previous “tolerance” to create an impression in Punjab and elsewhere that their “cause” has started to gain acceptance in foreign capitals. For years, these activist groups have used the narrative of “Indian interference” as a shield to deflect scrutiny of their own activities and gain sympathy from the Canadian public, government and the international community.
