Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh is currently captivating audiences with his global tour. During his performance at Rogers Centre in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he welcomed a notable visitor on stage: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Dosanjh's music has garnered widespread acclaim, and even the Canadian PM couldn't resist meeting him before the show. In a video capturing their interaction, Diljit is seen greeting Trudeau with folded hands. Sharing this moment, Dosanjh wrote, "Diversity is Canada's strength. Prime Minister @justinpjtrudeau came to check out history in the making: we sold out the Rogers Centre!"
Canadian PM Posts Picture With Diljit
Impressed by Dosanjh's influence, Prime Minister Trudeau took to his X handle to share pictures from the event, where the singer performed live. He captioned the post, "Stopped by the Rogers Centre to wish @diljitdosanjh good luck before his show. Canada is a great country -- one where a guy from Punjab can make history and sell out stadiums. Diversity isn't just our strength. It's a super power."
However, Trudeau's post sparked controversy as netizens pointed out that he referred to Diljit as 'a guy from Punjab' rather than 'a guy from India.' Several X users commented on his post and pointed out the same while questioning him about why didn't he mention 'a guy from India' in his post. Some also reminded the Canadian PM that Punjab is a part of India and hence Diljit is an Indian first.
Check some reactions here:
India-Canada Strained Diplomatic Ties
The backdrop to this incident is the strained relationship between India and Canada, which became particularly tense in September 2023. The tension arose after Canada accused India of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist living in Canada. Comments made by PM Trudeau at that time led to a travel advisory for Indian nationals and students in Canada and visa services for Canadian nationals were temporarily suspended.
