Canadian
prime minister Justin Trudeau has apologized for a historical blunder
that he committed of being part of black face campaign at certain point of time
by participating in some events. He has apologized profusely for this and said
that he let down people, but the fact is these events were some twenty thirty
years back when Trudeau was a University student and may not have developed
political ideology that strongly as he has today.

It is
political time and in politics your history is often used to humiliate and
embarrass you. BBC reported that Justin Trudeau did it at least thrice.

‘First photo
is from 2001, when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a school in Vancouver and was attending an Arabian Nights-
themed gala.

Second is
from when he was performing in a talent show as a student at high school.

Third is
video footage from the early 1990s, when
Mr Trudeau would have been in his late teens or early 20s’.

( I am not posting any photographs or
videos here)

I don’t know
whether politically Justice Trudeau was active in any racist campaign
that mocked the indigenous people or those of the African Origin.
Many people are well known before their campaign. Many people admit that they
have an ideology and do not feel ashamed of it. In fact, most of the right
wingers justify their misdeeds. It is such a bad time that racism, casteism,
and all kind of discrimination are found to be justified in today’s time.

What is
important to note here is that nature of apology and whether the person is
truly regret it or not. I think, those, who have seen and observe Justin
Trudeau’s governance would vouch that in these dark hours of right-wing ascendancy
world over where hatred and fake news ruled, he remained hope for millions of
people who were being victimised. He did not follow the immediate neighbours’
immigration policies and ensure that Canada welcome them despite USA was openly
building wall on the Mexican border and spitting venom against the immigrants.

In the past
so many years, Justin Trudeau has made all of us proud by being ensuring that
minorities, immigrants in his country. When Europe and US were facing the anti-immigration
pressure, Canada remained open. In the times of crisis, he has always spoken of
sanity which in today’s time if we must find another person, that is French
President Macron otherwise, world leaders are maintaining deafening silence on
such issues.

For people
living in India, who have seen that political leaders refuse to admit that they
have made some mistake and continue to chant anti minorities slogans and
encourage fake news, I think a politician like Trudeau are a rare breed.
Question is how many time politicians apologized in India for the folly of
their parties, their activists in murder or massacre of minorities, Dalits,
Adivasis. In fact, even today, their old habits are not dying, and they
continue to intimidate them. We can’t expect our leaders will apologize for
anything as they are supermen and can’t do anything wrong. They are born heroes
and only do goody goody things. They have huge bhaktas following who only want
them to wave at them and not seek any accountability from them. Such people
will find Trudeau as unbecoming of a leader as he is simple and can mix up with
people of all varieties.

We wish
Justin Trudeau victory in these elections. He is voice of reason, voice of
sanity and deserve a win so that Canada remain a liberal secular democracy.

Vidya
Bhushan Rawat

September 21st, 2019

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