Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The 2021 Canadian federal election, held on September 20, 2021, aimed to elect representatives to the 44th Canadian Parliament's House of Commons. The Liberal Party, led by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, secured 157 seats but fell short of the 170 seats required for a majority government.
In the 2021 election, Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), secured 25 seats. Subsequently, Justin Trudeau entered into an agreement with Jagmeet Singh, leading to the formation of a government supported by 25 NDP members (Total seats to 182). Under this arrangement, Trudeau's Liberals pledged their support to the left-leaning NDP on various issues.
Born on January 2, 1979, to parents Harmeet Kaur and Jagtaran Dhaliwal from India, Jagmeet Singh started as an NDP representative in the 2011 Ontario provincial election, securing victory. He also won the 2014 Ontario provincial elections.
Singh won the 2019 Burnaby South by-election and was re-elected. In the 2019 federal election, the NDP secured 24 seats. Despite a reduced number, the Trudeau Liberal government lost its parliamentary majority, leading to a cooperative alliance with Singh's party.
While alliances are a common occurrence, it's worth noting that in this particular instance, the Jagmeet Singh has expressed support for a separatist movement known as the Khalistani Movement. As the Liberal Party under Prime Minister Trudeau remains in power with the backing of the NDP, Trudeau has declined to denounce any form of anti-India activities, citing a commitment to the principle of "free speech" as the rationale.
Khalistani movement, which played a role in the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, seeks to establish a separate nation for the Sikh community, distinct from India. After the assassination, the government of India declared the Movement as a terrorist organisation and almost eradicated its roots in India. However, the movement took shelter in Canada and allegedly revived during Justin Trudeau’s time as Prime Minister. Jagmeet Singh has several times shown his support for the Terror outfit.
In 2021, during the farmer’s protest in India, several individuals of Indian origin staged a protest outside the office of Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh, voicing concerns about alleged targeting by Khalistan supporters linked to the farmers' protest in India. They emphasised that while they support the farmers' cause, the movement has taken on a Khalistani agenda that is affecting Hindu minorities in Canada.
According to the Canadian news publisher, The Globe and Mail, when Jagmeet Singh was an NDP member of the Ontario legislature in June 2015, he made an appearance on the stage during a Khalistan rally held in San Francisco. This rally prominently displayed a large poster of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the leader of an armed extremist group that had taken control of the Golden Temple. Bhindranwale was killed in a confrontation with the Indian army. During his speech, Jagmeet Singh levelled accusations of "genocide" by India in relation to the Golden Temple incident.
On Monday, after tensions escalated in India-Canada relations as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused "individuals associated with the Indian government" of being involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist, Jagmeet Singh declared his unwavering commitment to seeking justice. Nijjar was fatally shot outside a Gurudwara in Surrey, Canada, in June. In response, New Delhi dismissed this allegation as "preposterous" and "politically motivated."
In July 2020, India classified Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a 'terrorist' under the strict provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. According to India's National Investigation Agency, he was initially linked to the Sikh separatist organization known as Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). New Delhi has designated BKI as a "terrorist organization" and alleges that it receives funding from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency.
Subsequently, Nijjar assumed leadership of the militant outfit Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and, as per a statement by the Indian government in 2020, played an active role in coordinating, establishing connections, providing training, and financing members of the group. On the evening of June 18, 2023, Nijjar was fatally shot outside the same Gurudwara by two unidentified assailants.
Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusation of "agents of the Indian government" being involved in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in June, Canada and India have each expelled a senior diplomat. New Delhi firmly rejected these allegations, deeming them "absurd" and "motivated."
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that Canada's reactions to anti-India activities are influenced by vote bank politics. He also emphasised that the Indian government has communicated to Canada that it will take action if the activities there have any adverse impact on India's national security.