'Less than five per cent of total Canadian Sikhs support Khalistani movement,' says former Ottawa minister

Ujjal Dosanjh, a Sikh resident of Canada's Vancouver, B.C, stressed that a silent majority of the Sikhs does not want to have anything to do with Khalistan, adding that less than five per cent of the total Canadian Sikhs support the Khalistani movement. 

Ujjal, 78, a former NDP premier of British Columbia and a former federal cabinet minister under Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, has been extremely vocal about this issue since 1985, when Khalistani extremists bombed Air India Flight 182, killing 329 people and brought the separatist movement to Canada.

He has been determined to convince his fellow Canadians that the overwhelming majority of the nearly 800,000 Sikhs in Canada does not support the Khalistani movement. 

“I’d say less than five per cent, less than five per cent,” he told the Canadian English-language newspaper National Post. 

Also read: India condemns attack on Hindu devotees at Canada temple by 'anti-India' elements

This comes after the Khalistani extremists attacked a Hindu Sabha temple in Canada’s Brampton on Sunday (Nov 3) while devotees were inside the temple.

A group of men were seen holding Khalistani flags and beating people inside the temple with sticks, according to the viral videos. They hid at the temple gate first and then entered the premises with flags in their hands, while devotees inside the temple could be seen running. Meanwhile, some of the devotees also retaliated. 

Further, Ujjal said that the "majority of Sikhs don't speak out because they are afraid of violence and violent repercussions."

Ujjal has also received death threats from these extremists, however, he has remained undeterred to stand against it. 

Meanwhile, he also did not deny the recent events on North American soil, including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and the foiled murder plot in the United States against another Sikh separatist, dual US-Canadian citizen, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

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Blame on Canadian PM Trudeau 

Ujjal further blamed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying Khalistani supporters control many of the temples in Canada, and it’s Trudeau’s fault. 

For the first reason, he said, “One, he’s never really understood the vast majority of Sikhs are quite secular in their outlook, despite the fact that they go to the temple."

Explaining the second reason, Ujjal said, "Khalistanis are not a majority, and the fact nobody speaks against them is out of fear," adding, that "Canadians now equate Khalistanis with Sikhs as if we are all Khalistanis if we’re Sikhs.”

India condemns the attack

India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on Monday and called on the Canadian government to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. 

"We condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario, yesterday," the MEA said in a statement. 

"We also expect that those indulging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada," it added. 

It further read that the outreach of Indian Consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence.

(With inputs from agencies)