Discussed Khalistan extremism in Canada: Trudeau on meeting with PM Modi
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the issues of Khalistani extremism and "foreign interference" came up during his talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada," said Trudeau.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday said that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about Khalistani extremism and "foreign interference" during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi. Trudeau's remarks come against an increase in Khalistani activities in Canada and the country's soft approach towards the extremist elements.
"Both issues came up. Over the years, with PM Modi, we have had many conversations on both of those issues," he said while replying to a question during a press briefing.
Speaking about Khalistani protests, he said that "Canada would always defend freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest" and they were extremely important for that country.
However, he said, "We are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred".
"I think on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada. The flip side of it, we also highlighted the importance of respecting the rule of law and we did talk about foreign interference," Trudeau added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, said that he and the Canadian PM "discussed the full range of India-Canada ties across different sectors".
Earlier in the day, sources said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "always raises concerns when sovereignty of the country gets affected" when asked if Khalistan extremism in Canada came up during Modi and Trudeau's meeting.
In July, the Indian government had summoned the Canadian ambassador in Delhi and delivered a formal diplomatic message expressing concerns about the growing presence of pro-Khalistani groups in Canada.
At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada has consistently taken strong measures against terrorism and will maintain its commitment to doing so. He emphasised that it was incorrect to assume that his government is lenient towards Khalistan supporters and terrorists within the country.