Justin Trudeau extends wishes to Hindus on Diwali; shares a 'bracelet' anecdote amidst India-Canada tensions

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday wished Hindus on the occasion of Diwali as diplomatic tensions between India and Canada remain high.

In a video posted on X, the Canadian PM is seen playing with a red band (raksha-sutra) tied to his wrist as he shares the story behind it.

"I got these bracelets when I was in three different Hindu temples over the past few months. They're good luck, they're... protective," Trudeau says in the video shared on November 3.


Further, Trudeau is heard saying that he 'won't take the bracelets off until they fall off'.


The 40-second clip was released a day after the world wrapped up Diwali celebrations, but also at a time when India and Canada are going through a rough diplomatic patch.

Earlier this week, Trudeau's National Security Adviser and Deputy Foreign Minister admitted to leaking information on India's alleged involvement in Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing in Surrey, to American newspaper the Washington Post.

In a statement given to a Parliamentary panel committee in Canada, Deputy FM David Morrison also confirmed that when asked about Indian Home Minister Amit Shah's alleged 'involvement' in the matter, he had said 'yes' to the journalist seeking details that Canada has claimed to have for over a year.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to Canada's allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, saying that "such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties."

India summoned the Canadian High Commission's representative and expressed strong protests against the "absurd and baseless" claims made by Deputy Minister David Morrison regarding Shah. Jaiswal pointed out that the leak of unfounded claims by high Canadian officials to the media shows a deliberate effort to discredit India. He added, "Such irresponsible actions will have serious consequences for bilateral ties."

The MEA spokesperson also mentioned that some of India's consular officials are currently under audio and video surveillance.

Jaiswal criticised the Canadian government for justifying harassment and intimidation of Indian diplomats, stating that they already operate in a hostile environment.

Meanwhile, the United States described Canada’s allegations as "concerning," with State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller quoted as saying that they would continue consulting with Ottawa about the matter.