India-Canada standoff: Trudeau-Jagmeet tango behind Canadian govt's recent moves
India has not only been closely monitoring Canada-based Sikh terror groups and their operatives, but also keeping a close watch on the role of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh (coalition partner in the Trudeau government) in encouraging extremist views.
Jagmeet Singh has been alleged to influence Trudeau's pro-Khalistan politics and the Trudeau-Jagmeet alliance has engaged in vote bank politics amid the Canadian PM's rising unpopularity.
India had engaged with certain countries, including Russia, on Jagmeet Singh's pro-extremist ideologies. Russia has banned Jagmeet's entry into its territory based on inputs provided by New Delhi, ET has learnt.
Jagmeet Singh has also dabbled in the pro-Ukraine campaign often targeting Russia, making him unpopular in Moscow.
Singh, a Sikh of Indian origin, has vowed to get 'justice' for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Prior to politics, Singh worked as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area.
On October 1, 2017, Singh became the National Democratic Party leader. Singh is the first non-white leader of a major Canadian political party.
In September 2021, Trudeau's Liberal Party won the re-election but failed to win a majority in Parliament.
In March 2022, Trudeau struck a deal with Singh's NDP for support in exchange for deals on pharmaceutical and dental care plans.
«We've agreed to work together,» Trudeau had said at the time. «It's about focusing on what we agree on instead of what we disagree on.»
