23/06/2026
The Air India bombing should never be forgotten, but neither should the lessons from it.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is conflating Khalistani extremists with Sikhs as a whole. The terrorists responsible for Air India 182 were Khalistani extremists. They did not represent all Sikhs then, and they do not represent all Sikhs today.
Most Sikh immigrants came to Canada for the same reasons countless others did: to build a better life, raise their families, work hard, and contribute to society. When people blur the line between extremists and an entire religious community, it only makes life harder for innocent Sikhs who had nothing to do with terrorism or separatist politics.
At the same time, it is also fair to ask difficult questions about the role of the Canadian government. The Air India Inquiry found major intelligence and security failures before and after the bombing. Canadian authorities had information about extremist activity, yet opportunities were missed, intelligence was mishandled, and evidence was even destroyed.
The terrorists bear responsibility for the murders. But government agencies also bear responsibility for failing to protect Canadians despite warning signs that were present.
If we want to learn from Air India, we need to be precise. Condemn terrorism. Condemn extremism. Hold governments accountable for security failures. But do not blame an entire religion for the actions of a small group of fanatics.