Tara Singh Hayer-Assassinated but not silenced.....by Maninder Singh Gill
November 18 is the day when the shining star of independent journalism in Canada, Tara Singh Hayer, was put to eternal sleep by anti-humanity forces.
Tara Singh Hayer was a pioneer of Punjabi journalism in Canada who chose to sacrifice his life rather than compromise on his journalistic duties and principles. I also call Tara Singh Hayer 'Shaheed-e-Sahafat' (Martyr of Journalism), because he championed freedom of speech, the freedom to hold independent views, and the courage to express his opinions.
It is no exaggeration to call Tara Singh Hayer the 'Baba Bohar' (Great Banyan Tree/Patriarch) of Punjabi journalism.
The sapling he planted, 'Indo Canadian Times,' has today grown into a dense and shady tree under which the entire community can gather and find a medium to express its views.
In his journalistic journey, due to his outspoken style and fearless nature, Tara Singh Hayer soon became an opponent of fundamentalist factions that hold Taliban-like ideology.
These terrorist elements, who run their illicit businesses under the guise of human rights, resort to violence and oppression to silence the voices raised against them when they are unable to provide any intellectual response to criticism. Something similar happened to Tara Singh Hayer.
Lawsuits were filed against him and vigorous attempts were made to cause him financial harm to suppress his voice.
I still remember in the 1990s, when I was active as a cultural promoter, I presented a reward of $21,000 to Mr. Hayer to encourage him so that his pen would continue to perform its duty fearlessly.
When the tactics of litigation failed, these fundamentalists targeted Tara Singh Hayer with violence, as he was also exposing the perpetrators of the Kanishka bombing.
Even though he was confined to a wheelchair after the attack in 1988, like a wounded lion, he sharpened his writing and continued to raise his voice against violence and extremism.
On November 18, 1998, when he was a living witness to the Air India Kanishka bombing and had already given his sworn affidavit, he was murdered.
Thus, not only was an independent and fearless voice silenced, but the path to justice in the biggest terrorist attack in Canada's history was also blocked. Today, 27 years after Mr. Hayer's murder, his family is still miles away from justice, and the law has failed to bring any criminal to the dock.
Although Tara Singh Hayer has departed from this world physically, his thought and courage will always guide us, and the words he wrote will continue to smolder.
His writings will continue to remind us that in a country like Canada, which prides itself for freedom of speech, speaking fearlessly can cost one their life.
A coward dies a thousand deaths, the valiant dies but once!
“Tragically, the murder of Tara Singh Hayer, while he was supposedly under the watch of the RCMP, not only snuffed out the life of a courageous opponent of terrorism, but permanently foreclosed the possibility of his assistance in bringing the perpetrators of the bombing of Flight 182 to justice.”Justice John Major.
The manner in which the RCMP handled the entire Hayer affair leaves much to be desired,” he wrote in his 2010 report. The Canadian Police could not save the witness of the biggest terrorist attack in Canada. What should the victims of extortion expect from them?
November 19, 2025
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Maninder Singh Gill, Managing Director Radio India, Surrey (Canada)
msgill@radioindialtd.com
Phone No. : +1 (604) 505-1600
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