Headline: Trudeau Acknowledges Khalistan Supporters in Canada, Says They Don’t Represent Entire Sikh Community
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the presence of Khalistan supporters in Canada, emphasizing that they do not represent the entire Sikh community. Speaking during Diwali celebrations at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Trudeau drew parallels, stating that just as supporters of Khalistan do not reflect all Sikhs, supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government do not represent all Hindu Canadians.
“There are many supporters of Khalistan in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh Community as a whole. Similarly, there are supporters of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians,” Trudeau said.
His comments come amid heightened tensions between India and Canada following the assassination of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. The diplomatic row has intensified after Canada accused Indian agents of being involved in the murder, a claim that the Indian government has firmly rejected as baseless.
The situation worsened when Trudeau’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser Nathalie Drouin and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison acknowledged leaking information to The Washington Post, which implicated India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah in targeting Khalistan separatists in Canada.
Despite the strain on bilateral relations, both countries continue to engage in high-level diplomatic discussions. The issue has brought significant attention to the larger Sikh diaspora and political dynamics in Canada.