The separatists, with support from rich Sikhs, influence public opinion, as also within their own community, by alleging that India under Narendra Modi is against minorities as was the previous Congress regime. For civil rights groups in the West that kind of accusation is enough to lend support to the propagators of such falsehood.
The bulk of the nearly half a million Sikh community in Canada lives in the provinces of Ontario (Jagmeet's home turf) and British Columbia. Last summer, the Ontario 'parliament' (provincial legislature) passed a motion, moved by a Sikh member of the ruling Liberal Party, terming the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as 'genocide', a term that New Delhi took strong objections to. Jagmeet Singh had supported that motion.
Shortly afterwards, Trudeau attended a Khalsa Day function in Toronto where, Ms Harinder Malhi, who had moved the anti-India motion, was honoured. There were Khalistani flags and floats to announce that the occasion was meant to highlight the separatists' campaign.
India was naturally upset with the Canadian government over its tacit support to separatists. And bilateral ties, otherwise regarded as good, looked to be heading southwards. Ottawa quickly activated diplomatic channels. Prime Minister Justine Trudeau telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi! A fence mending exercise? Well, it was, indeed.
By lending direct or indirect support to the separatists, Ottawa is undermining India's efforts to wean away the Sikh extremists, largely through backchannel parleys. The separatists take these efforts as 'pressure' being brought on the Sikhs in Canada by the Indian government. Trudeau may have understood the Indian point of view but it is to be seen how the matter plays out when Jagmeet Singh becomes a more important political player.
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