Canada downplays rift with India over Sikh issue

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is downplaying reports of a rift between him and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Trudeau and his family are on an eight-day state visit to India, and Modi sent a junior minister to welcome them on Saturday.

Some Indian politicians have accused members of Trudeau’s cabinet of supporting Sikh separatists.

According to the latest figures, Indians are the largest visible minority community in Canada. Sikhs account for only roughly 1.4 percent of Canada’s population of 36 million, but there are 17 Sikhs members of parliament, and there are four in the cabinet.

Al Jazeera’s Imtiaz Tyab reports.