Justin Trudeau extends Diwali wishes amid India-Canada diplomatic row

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accused New Delhi of being involvement in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Amid India-Canada diplomatic row, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended wishes on Diwali which is being celebrated by the Indian community across the world.

“Happy Diwali! Today, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain families will celebrate the triumph of light over darkness with festivities, candles, diyas, and fireworks. Wishing you all joy and prosperity during this special time,” Trudeau posted on the social media platform X.

Happy Diwali!Today, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain families will celebrate the triumph of light over darkness with festivities, candles, diyas, and fireworks.Wishing you all joy and prosperity during this special time.
Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 31, 2024

His wishes came after Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre issued a clarification amid uproar from the Hindu community over the cancellation of the annual Diwali event held in Ottawa.

A statement from Poilievre office, posted on X by Indo-Canadian host Darshan Maharaja, dismissed reports of the event being cancelled this year and said that only the location and timing of the celebrations had been altered.

Earlier, when the news of the Diwali celebrations being cancelled surfaced, Shiv Bhasker, the president of Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC) which organises the event, wrote a letter to the office of the opposition expressing disappointment over the decision.

"For the past 23 years, Hindus, Buddhist, Jains and Sikhs have looked forward to participating in this joyous occasion to share and celebrate this day with all our Canadian brothers and sisters," he said. The OFIC chief said that the diplomatic row between India and Canada has left the Indian community feeling "betrayed and unjustly singled out."

Ties between India and Canada have nosedived after Trudeau's allegations of New Delhi's involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and interference in the country's elections. India has denied the charges and called them "absurd".

A Canadian official alleged on Tuesday that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists inside Canada. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison told Parliament members of the national security committee that he had confirmed Shah’s name to The Washington Post, which first reported the allegations. “The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” Morrison told the committee.

Morrison did not say how Canada knew of Shah’s alleged involvement.

Meanwhile, the United States on Wednesday said Canada’s allegations against Shah are “concerning”. State department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that it would continue to consult Ottawa on the issue. “The allegations made by the government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations,” Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news briefing.