Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have perhaps reached their lowest point and the tension between the two countries continues to rise. The major reason for the deterioration of these relations is the Canadian government’s love for Khalistan. The Canadian government is constantly giving space to anti-India elements on its soil. These radicals have been seen mocking Indira Gandhi’s assassination, sometimes they are seen burning the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sometimes they are busy tearing the tricolor into pieces. The Canadian government is allowing all of this to happen openly.
Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Canada, for which Canada has blamed India but so far refuses to provide any evidence to back their claims. Canada has been talking about investigating the situation which has worsened to such an extent that Canada has now linked the names of Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and other diplomats to the Nijjar murder case, but there is still nothing in the name of evidence.
After this controversy, India has asked 6 Canadian diplomats to leave the country and has recalled some of its diplomats from Canada.
How did the Sikhs reach Canada
The story of the beginning of the settlement of Sikhs in Canada is related to 1897. In 1897, Queen Victoria had called a contingent of British Indian soldiers to London to participate in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and Risaldar Major Kesar Singh was among these soldiers. It is said that Risaldar was the first Sikh to shift to Canada and he made his home in British Columbia along with some other soldiers. In the next few years, 5,000 Indians reached British Columbia, of which 90% were Sikhs.
In view of the increasing population of immigrants, Canada implemented an immigration policy in 1908, after which it became difficult for Sikhs to settle in Canada. At the same time, when the Liberal Party government came to power in Canada in the 1960s, the immigration rules were changed and the country’s doors were opened to accept diversity.
On the other hand, when India started taking strict action against Khalistani supporters in the 1980s, a large number of Khalistani supporters fled to Canada. The population of Sikhs in Canada has increased rapidly in the last two decades. According to Canadian government data, the proportion of Sikh population in Canada increased from 0.9% to 2.1% between 2001 and 2021.
The Sikh community is the fourth largest religious group in Canada after Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Punjabi is the third most popular language in Canada and Sikhs have a huge impact in Canada’s construction, transportation and banking sector.
How Sikhs became politically influential in Canada
Punjab-born Gurbaksh Singh Malhi was the first Sikh to be elected to the Canadian Parliament in 1993. After this the dominance of Sikhs in Canadian politics increased so much that in the 2021 general elections, the number of Sikh MPs in the 338-seat Canadian Parliament increased to 18.
The influence of the Sikhs can also be gauged from the fact that in 2015, when Justin Trudeau became the Prime Minister of Canada for the first time, he made 4 people from the Sikh community ministers in his government. A total of 17 Sikh MPs won in that election and 16 of them were from Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
According to media reports, Sikhs have complete influence on 8 seats in Canada and they play an important role in elections on 15 seats. In such a situation, no political party in Canada wants to anger the Sikh community.
Khalistan lobby in Canada
India’s former foreign secretary has written an article on the recent developments. He writes that Trudeau’s vote bank politics is behind these actions, as the Canadian PM is looking to woo the Sikh voters. He also mentions that the, “Khalistan lobby is very strong in Canada and Trudeau needs that lobby. In other words, it can also be said that Khalistan lobby can be behind this move of Trudeau, exerting pressure on him.” Many influential people in Canada have been supporting Khalistani elements.
Former Canadian minister and Premier of British Columbia Ujjal Dosanjh has said in a conversation with CBC News that Khalistani extremists openly give hate speeches and the Canadian government does not take any action against them. He said, “Justin Trudeau has been surrounded by Khalistanis since day one and Khalistanis are even in his cabinet. Trudeau has an alliance with Jagmeet Singh who is himself a Khalistani.” Ujjal added that, Khalistani extremists have been committing violence for a long time, including the shocking bombing of the Air India flight, but no action has been taken against them, Canada has completely failed in this regard.
