Khalistanis present in Canada, admits Trudeau, says not all Hindus Modi backers

Amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accepted the presence of Khalistani supporters on Canadian soil, adding that they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole in the country.

In Short

• Justin Trudeau says Khalistanis in Canada don't represent Sikhs as a whole
• Says Hindu supporters of PM Modi don't represent all Hindu Canadians as a whole
• This comes amid India-Canada diplomatic row over Hardeep Nijjar's killing

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dropped a bombshell when he admitted to the presence of Khaslistani supporters in the country, but said that they do not represent the Sikh community in Canada as a whole. Trudeau's admission about the presence of Khalistani supporters vindicates India's stand that the Canadian government is harbouring pro-Khalistani elements.

He also said that there are Hindu supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Canada, but they also do not represent the Hindu community as a whole in Canada.

"There are many supporters of Khalistan in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh Community as a whole. There are supporters of the Modi government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians as a whole," Trudeau said in his address to the Indian community during Diwali celebrations at Ottawa's Parliament Hill.

Trudeau's remarks came amid an escalating diplomatic row between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Ties between both countries came under strain in September 2023, when Trudeau alleged Indian agents' role in the killing of Nijjar.

Nijjar, a wanted terrorist by the Indian government, was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.

Last month, ties further nosedived when Canada termed the Indian High Commissioner a "person of interest" in its probe into Nijjar's murder. India vehemently dismissed the fresh charge and downgraded its ties with Canada, recalling its High Commissioner to Ottawa and expelling six Canadian diplomats from the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly said the Canadian government did not share a shred of evidence of India's involvement in Nijjar's killing despite repeated requests.

It also accused Trudeau of doing vote bank politics and not doing enough to tackle separatist elements on Canadian soil.