Trudeau failed to handle situation:Punjab-origin Canadian politicians

Condemning the recent attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton leading to turmoil involving pro-Khalistan fringe elements and Hindu groups, Veteran Punjab-origin Canadian politicians have squarely blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for failing to handle the situation with finesse and acumen.
Former premier of British Columbia Ujjal Dosanjh, 78, on Tuesday said the current turmoil stems from the Trudeau government’s inaction on violent statements and activities by separatists in Canada.
Dosanjh, the first Sikh attorney general of the province, has condemned Khalistani activities despite narrowly escaping an attack in 1985. Born in a village near Jalandhar, he migrated to Canada in the early 1960s.
In a telephonic conversation with HT, Dosanjh said: “In my opinion, the entire political class and the defence forces have failed to tackle the situation. Pierre Poilievre (who is running for the Prime Minister’s post in 2025 as a Conservative Party nominee) has also buckled under pressure.”
Dosanjh said the pro-Khalistan elements were relatively silent until 2010, but they got prominence when Trudeau took charge in 2015. “I hope this chaos ends tomorrow, but it is not going to happen so soon,” he quipped with a sense of worry and caution. Dosanjh served as the premier of the Canadian province of British Colombia from 2000 to 2001 and later became health minister of Canada from 2004 to 2006. Both Dosanjh and Trudeau come from same party.
“Would Trudeau acted the same way if there were hate-mongering against the Jews as a section of Indians are facing?” asked Dosanjh.
On being asked about the reasons for ongoing turmoil, Dosanjh said a lot of immigrants have been allowed on the Canadian soil by the Trudeau administration without proper checks of their antecedents. “It was not so easy coming to Canada earlier like it has been made now,” he said.
Mentioning the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Dosanjh said the Indian government needs to clear the matter when Canadian government is saying they have the evidence of Delhi’s hand in it and the evidence also be made public.
Similarly, two-time former MP in the Canadian parliament from Surrey Gurmant Grewal, 67, also blamed Trudeau of not handling the issue tactfully. “I am sad that the government has failed to bring both the groups together as the issues can be settled amicably with talks,” he suggested.
The former parliamentarian said that the Canada can’t be governed on religious lines and the matter needs solution for which the governments on both sides should involve former politicians who are experienced and have handled such situations in the past.
“The relations between India and Canada had turned even worse when the Indian government in 1998 conducted nuclear tests and Canada had imposed trade sanctions. Then the issue was resolved with the intervention from both sides,” said Grewal.