In 2021, during the chaotic U.S. and allied withdrawal from Afghanistan, Harjit Sajjan, then Canada’s Minister of National Defence, is reported to have directed Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to prioritize the rescue of 225 Afghan Sikhs. This decision allegedly diverted resources from evacuating Canadian citizens and those linked to Canada. A report by The Globe and Mail, citing three unnamed military officials, asserts that Sajjan ordered the airlifting of Afghan Sikhs, which disrupted the planned evacuation of Canadians.
Sajjan, now Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, has refuted these claims. In a statement on June 28, Sajjan asserted that he did not instruct the CAF to prioritize Afghan Sikhs but merely relayed information from a Canadian Sikh group advocating for their rescue. Sajjan stated that the evacuation of vulnerable Afghans, including religious minorities, was in line with approved government policy. He expressed that he wouldn’t be facing such scrutiny over his actions if he weren’t wearing a turban, implying that his appearance may be influencing the questions directed at him.
The situation has sparked significant controversy, with public figures and citizens expressing outrage over the alleged prioritization. Sajjan’s actions have been scrutinized, with critics accusing him of placing ethnic and religious affiliations above national duty.
