BJP chief lectures Trudeau over ‘Punjabi singer’ reference to Diljit Dosanjh

BJP national secretary Singh Sirsa on Monday criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for referring to Diljit Dosanjh as a “Punjabi singer” instead of an “Indian singer” in a social media post, calling it “deliberate malice through wordplay”.

Trudeau made a surprise appearance at Diljit’s concert hall in Toronto. The Canadian Prime Minister shared a photo of Trudeau and Diljit and wrote on X: “Stopped by the Rogers Centre to wish Diljit Dosanjh luck before his show. Canada is a great country – one where a man from Punjab can make history and fill stadiums. Diversity is not just our strength. It’s a superpower. (sic)”

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Sirsa corrected Trudeau, saying, “Let me get this right, Prime Minister: A man from INDIA can make history and sell out stadiums.”

He added, “Your gesture of praising a fantastic artist like Diljit has been completely overshadowed by your deliberate mischief through puns.”

The remarks come against the backdrop of strained relations between India and Canada following Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and New Delhi’s subsequent accusation that the North American country was providing a haven to Khalistani terrorists.