Trudeau admits Khalistani support base in Canada, clarifies they don’t represent Sikh community

For the first time, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted the existence of Khalistanis in his nation amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis between India and Canada.

Trudeau made the surprising revelation at a Diwali celebration on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, stating that there is a Khalistan support base in Canada. However, he swiftly clarified that they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole.

Since the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023, ties between India and Canada have worsened.

A diplomatic firestorm that is still ongoing was sparked by Trudeau's claim that India might have been complicit in the murder.

Although there are Canadians who support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, Trudeau said they do not speak for all Hindu Canadians.

"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," he said.

A group of individuals, reportedly Khalistani radicals, attacked devotees at a Hindu temple in Brampton on Nov 3.

Videos of a group of men holding Khalistani flags and beating people with sticks outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir have gone viral on social media.

At the time of the incident, the temple was hosting a consular camp co-organized by the Indian High Commission. The celebration was disrupted by a mob that targeted Hindus, including women and children, while holding sticks and banners linked to pro-Khalistan organizations.

Amid growing diplomatic tensions between the two nations, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong statement in response to the violence.

Canadian political leaders at all levels of government denounced the incident.

The violence was condemned by Trudeau, who emphasized that every Canadian has the right to worship freely and peacefully.

"The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely," Trudeau wrote on X.

"Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident," he added.

The Indian government condemned the attack on the Hindu Sabha temple and raised serious concerns about the safety of Indian citizens in Canada.

"We condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario, yesterday. We call on the government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"We also expect that those engaging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada. The outreach of our consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment, or violence," he added.

India has repeatedly denied any connection to the killing of Nijjar, who the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has listed as a terrorist, and alleged that Trudeau's government was caving in to Khalistani supporters for political advantage.

India has strongly rejected any involvement in Nijjar's murder, an allegation made by the Trudeau government.

Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Indian envoy, claimed that terrorists and Khalistani extremists are "deep assets" of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Canada summoned Verma back after declaring senior diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation into Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder.