Former Canadian minister dismisses claim of Trudeau being compelled to meet Sikh activists during 2018 Punjab visit

PTC News Desk: Amidst recent allegations suggesting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was compelled to meet with Sikh activists during his 2018 visit to Punjab, India, Canada’s former Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan vehemently refuted the claims as ‘not accurate.’

Addressing the issue in an interview with CPAC, Sajjan, now Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, dismissed the report as misinformation, stressing the prevalence of such misinformation and disinformation targeting individuals within Canada.

The report, originally published in The Globe and Mail, alleged that India insisted Trudeau’s plane land in Punjab during the 2018 visit only if Trudeau and Defence Minister Sajjan agreed to meet with a government official regarding Sikh separatists in Canada. The report also claimed that during the meeting, Punjab’s minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, presented Trudeau and Sajjan with a dossier containing the names of approximately 10 Sikh activists.

Minister Sajjan reiterated the importance of maintaining confidence in Canada’s independent police forces and intelligence services, underscoring the democratic right of Canadians to express their viewpoints peacefully.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland echoed similar sentiments in the CPAC interview, emphasising the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Canadians, particularly members of the Sikh community. She acknowledged the recent arrests in connection with the 2023 killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and expressed concern over the safety of Canadian Sikhs.

The ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada stems from Trudeau’s accusation in 2023 that Indian government agents were responsible for Nijjar’s killing. India has vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as baseless.

In a related development, three men were arrested in Edmonton last Friday in connection with Nijjar’s shooting. As they made their first court appearance via video, members of the Sikh community gathered outside the Surrey provincial court, protesting against India’s government and accusing it of Nijjar’s killing. The court proceedings are ongoing, with some defendants scheduled to reappear in May.

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