Justin Trudeau’s recent statement on the Khalistan issue has raised questions about his motivations. The Canadian Prime Minister’s comments during a virtual event in the United States, where he referred to the Khalistan movement as a ‘complicated’ issue, have been criticized by some as an attempt to appease the Sikh diaspora in Canada and the US. The Khalistan movement seeks an independent homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab region of India. Trudeau’s comments come at a time when India and Canada are in a diplomatic spat over various issues, including the farmers’ protests in India and the detention of an Indian-Canadian businessman in India. The Canadian government has also been under pressure from various groups to take a stronger stance on human rights violations in India.
