Khalistan supporters don't represent entire Sikh community, says Trudeau

During a Diwali celebration on Thursday (October 7) at Ottawa's Parliament Hill, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the sensitive topic of Khalistan, where he acknowledged the presence of pro-Khalistan supporters in Canada but clarified that "they do not represent the entire Sikh community'.

His comments followed a violent incident at Brampton’s Hindu Sabha Mandir, where pro-Khalistan elements clashed with local Indo-Canadians, heightening the tension.

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Trudeau rejects violence

Rejecting violence, Trudeau said, “There is no room for violence, intolerance, intimidation, or division. That is not who we are.”

He insisted on Canada’s support for cultural diversity, cautioning that diverse opinions must not become sources of division.

Former British Columbia Premier and ex-Federal Cabinet Minister Ujjal Dosanjh commented that this was the first time he’d heard Trudeau explicitly differentiate Sikhs from Khalistani supporters, marking a shift in rhetoric.

Also Read: Temple attack proves Canada giving space to ‘extremist forces’: Jaishankar

'Distance himself from Khalistanis'

Dosanjh expressed hope that Trudeau would “distance himself from Khalistanis” and took aim at Canadian mainstream media, accusing it of misrepresenting Canadian Sikhs by labeling Khalistani supporters as mere "activists." He argued, "The media does a disservice to Canada and the Sikh community by portraying a handful of Khalistanis as representative of all Sikhs. This narrative is entirely misleading."