- The former Defence Minister in the Trudeau administration, Harjit Sajjan, ordered the Canadian army to prioritize the evacuation of Afghan Sikhs from the region during the fall of Kabul in August 2021.
- The expose by Globe and Mail has laid bare the duplicity of Prime Minister Trudeau who had claimed that his government would prioritize the evacuation of Canadians from Afghanistan who had a direct claim for protection.
- This incident also suggests that Prime Minister Trudeau may be willing to sacrifice the lives and safety of his people in pursuit of political gains through vote bank politics.
The Trudeau administration in Canada cannot seem to keep itself away from controversy, and it is now facing one of the greatest political crises. This has created an anti-government sentiment in Canada. One of the major controversies that has recently come to light dates back to 2021. According to an investigation by the Globe and Mail, the former Defence Minister under the Trudeau administration, Harjit Sajjan, during the fall of Kabul in August 2021, ordered the Canadian army to prioritize the evacuation and rescue of Afghan Sikhs from the region. This evacuation was supposed to happen on a priority basis.
However, Mr Sajjan claimed that no such priority recommendation was given to the Canadian army who had all the responsibility and everyone was treated equally in the evacuation process. The Globe and Mail report suggests that the Canadian army was against this decision because prioritizing Afghan Sikhs was not considered. Instead, the focus was on prioritizing Canadians and their families living in Afghanistan, as well as other Afghans who had a direct claim to Canadian protection. The major question here is why the Canadian administration was so concerned about Afghan Sikhs, who did not hold any associations with Canada, despite having made it clear that they would prioritize people with direct claims.
The second major reason for the controversy is prioritising the Skihs over those who had a direct claim to protection, such as Canadian diplomats, Canadian families, and Afghan military supporters who helped the Canadian army during NATO-led efforts in Afghanistan, who were ignored. This raises serious questions about the duplicity of Prime Minister Trudeau, who claimed that Canada would prioritize such individuals.
Failed Attempt to Evacuate Sikhs
In August 2021, as the Taliban made massive progress inside Afghanistan, seizing major territories, the United States-led NATO was withdrawing its troops from the region. At this critical moment, 225 Sikhs were stranded in Afghanistan. According to orders from Harjit Sajjan, the Canadian army was supposed to rescue these Sikhs. The locations of the stranded Sikhs were provided by an independent NGO operating in the region.
However, due to the ongoing chaos, the Canadian army arrived at the designated location 30 minutes later than planned. By the time the Canadian forces reached the location, they did not find any of the Sikhs there. It appears that the Sikhs had moved to a safer place in the interim. Consequently, Canada was unable to rescue any of the Sikhs from Afghanistan. A few days later, the same 225 Sikhs who had moved to a safer location were rescued by the Indian government and brought to India.
True Intent of the Trudeau Administration
The whole event appears to be a strategic and well-intended move by the Trudeau administration. By prioritizing the evacuation of the Sikhs, they aimed to gain sympathy from the Sikh community. This is significant because Sikhs constitute a politically important community in Canada and are considered major supporters of the current Liberal government, particularly in regions like Toronto and British Columbia. Trudeau’s administration likely intended to create a positive image of the Liberal government among the Sikh community, demonstrating that the present Canadian government is sympathetic to their needs. This move would have given the Trudeau administration political mileage, which is crucial in upcoming elections in Canada.
It further seems that Justin Trudeau wanted to convey the impression that Canada is now seen as a new haven for the Sikh community worldwide. This could imply that Canada is positioning itself as a preferred destination for Sikhs, suggesting indirectly that India is perceived as less concerned about the Sikh community. Such an impression from the Canadian government could have potentially benefited them in terms of vote bank politics and other political gains. It would have also provided more political leverage for Khalistanis to promote their agenda, that a separate Sikh region has to be formed within India as the Indian government is not adequately concerned about Sikh rights. This narrative could have strengthened the Khalistani movement, benefiting the key leaders, some of whom reside in Canada.
Impact on Elections
Political commentators in Canada say that the whole saga gives the impression that Justin Trudeau is least concerned about the Sikh community or the Canadian people. Instead, Trudeau appears focused on opportunistic politics where his primary concern is vote bank politics. For Trudeau, it seems that anyone from any culture, history, or background who can assist in his political ambitions is prioritized, while genuine concerns for people’s lives and well-being are secondary.
The expose will impact Justin Trudeau negatively, especially considering that the opposition led by Poilievre gaining ground in Canada. The expose is likely to exacerbate the existing anti-incumbency against Trudeau’s government, compounded by ongoing economic challenges such as rising house prices and other issues the country has been facing. The expose also suggests that the Trudeau government’s actions do not align with its stated priorities and principles, raising concerns about the integrity and sincerity of the government. This controversy is not just about direct claims but also brings into question the broader issue of political justice and fairness in the government’s decision-making process.
For both the Sikh community and the Canadian community residing in Canada, this incident is a moment of introspection. Specifically, the Sikh community needs to understand that they should not allow themselves to be used as political tools. When they are used as such, their genuine interests are often overlooked and not prioritized. Therefore, the community needs to discern what is right and wrong for them, and they should support political parties that genuinely care for their interests rather than merely using them for political gains.
(Views expressed are the author’s own)
(Aayush is a post-graduate student in International Relations at Kalinga University, Raipur. The opinions expressed are the author’s own)
Balaji Subramanian 
Palak Dogra 
Sindhuri Sai