While reading ET, i found an interesting article about Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), SAD-B making inroads in canada. North America (ie US and Canada) alone house 2.37 % of world sikh population and about 65.4% of NRPs (non-resident punjabis). Canadian sikhs are one of the largest Non-chriatian religious groups in canada and form country's largest South Asian ethnic group.
The first sikh immigration in canada is believed to be in 1897. The need for labourers led to an increase in sikh immigration, The immediate fallout was the 1907 riot and the infamous Komagata Maru incident . According to century of struggle and success the Sikh Canadian experience , With the advent of World War II and the internment of Japanese Canadians, Sikhs were able to prosper. But they were still devoid of the fundamental right to vote, which came into inforcement in 1947. The sikh population considerably increased in post 1960s when the immigration laws were changed.
Now Sikhs have become an integral part of Canada's economy and culture.
At present, in Canada there are nine sikhs elected to the house of commons. This being the largest number of Indians into the House of commons. And SAD-B is heard to be planning to foray into Canadian politics. It depends on the legalities of the canadian system. It is an irony on their part that they could never become a national party in India. Informally they have been a group in canada with long list of followers. And if they succed in doing so SAD-B will be in a very good mood as it being the first international party.
