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Canada will always protect your rights and freedoms, Justin Trudeau tells Sikhs
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has assured Sikh Canadians by protecting their rights and freedoms.
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Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, and Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc, takes part in a press conference about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's investigation into "violent criminal activity in Canada with connections to India",on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 14, 2024. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo / Reuters
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has assured Sikh Canadians by protecting their rights and freedoms.
His statement assumes special significance in the wake of the ongoing diplomatic spat between India and Canada over the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leader of the separatist movement for Khalistan.
Sikhs at various levels, including Members of Parliament, have been raising their voices concerning their security on Canadian soil alleging threats and extortions by agents from other countries, including India. Some of them have been giving vent to their spleen in the House of Commons.
Justin Trudeau’s statement on this sacred day of Bandhi Chhor Divas may have come as a relief to the community as he made a specific mention of their freedom, safety and security.
Justin Trudeau, who was in Toronto, to participate in Diwali festivals organised by the Canadian Hindu community, stated in his statement to commemorate the Bandhi Chhor Divas.
“To the nearly 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across the country: we will always protect your rights and freedoms. Your right to practise your religion freely and without intimidation is exactly that – a fundamental right,” Justin Trudeau said in his message.
“Today, we join Sikh communities in Canada and around the world to celebrate Bandhi Chhor Divas.
“Also known as the Day of Liberation, the Sikh festival of Bandhi Chhor Divas commemorates the release from prison of the sixth Guru, Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji.
“To mark this day, families and friends will come together to share feasts, enjoy fireworks, and illuminate their homes, neighbourhoods, and gurdwaras with candles and lamps. This is also a time for spiritual reflection that will be marked by prayers and the reading of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib – the holy book of Sikhism.
“Bandhi Chhor Divas is an opportunity to celebrate Sikh Canadians. It is also a reminder of courage and resilience in the face of hardship – values at the heart of Sikhism.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish all those celebrating a happy Bandhi Chhor Divas,” he concluded.
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