VANCOUVER (Diya TV) — YouTube has restricted access to a CBC documentary detailing the killing of Canadian Sikh activist and Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar after receiving orders from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The documentary, produced by CBC’s The Fifth Estate, explores Nijjar’s shooting death in suburban Vancouver last June. The video-sharing platform confirmed that access to the documentary has been blocked on its India YouTube site, while remaining available elsewhere on the platform.
X, formerly known as Twitter, also received a legal removal demand from the Indian government related to the documentary. Despite India’s orders, X maintained that freedom of expression should extend to such content and is engaging with Indian authorities on the matter.
The Indian government cited the Information Technology Act of 2000 to justify its actions, asserting authority over intercepting, monitoring, or decrypting computer-generated information in the interest of national sovereignty, security, public order, or investigating offenses.
The documentary includes security footage capturing the moments leading up to Nijjar’s assassination outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple. Despite the coordinated attack involving multiple individuals and vehicles, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has yet to name suspects or make arrests in connection with Nijjar’s death.
The killing of Nijjar, whom India deemed a terrorist, has sparked diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging that agents of the Indian government were behind the killing. India has vehemently denied any involvement, emphasizing the need for a thorough criminal investigation before drawing conclusions.
