As diplomatic relations between India and Canada take a nosedive, political parties in Punjab are treading cautiously. Mindful of the need to cultivate their vote banks ahead of the parliamentary election due in 2024, major parties are adopting starkly different strategies in the State, which has strong connections to a substantial diaspora population in Canada.
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, earlier this week, that there were credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan leader in Canada, it triggered a face-off between the two nations. In Punjab, parties are attempting to garner different vote banks — in the State itself, in other parts of the country, and among the diaspora.
Also read: Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh activist whose killing has divided Canada and India?
