Sushma Swaraj addressed a conference in Brussels regarding climate change. (Express file photo)
PUNJAB Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh has written to the Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, seeking action in the matter of refusal of entry to two Aam Aadmi Party members of Punjab Legislative Assembly, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Amarjit Singh Sandoa into Ottawa Airport, Canada. Expressing concern over the issue, the Speaker wrote, “All Legislative Bodies of India and Canada are branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Members of the Legislative Bodies in both the countries are Members of CPA. On the one hand, we strive for increasing CPA activities like brotherhood, mutual understanding and cooperation, exchange of experiences and improvement of ties etc. between Members of Legislative Bodies of both the countries, but on the other hand our MLAs/public representatives are treated differently and humiliated.’’
He said that when the public representatives disclosed their identity at Ottawa Airport, the Canadian Authorities should have facilitated them, as they all had valid visa.
The Speaker stressed that whatever the circumstances, the rude and discourteous behaviour shown to the Punjab MLAs by the Canadian Authorities is unbecoming on their part and is a matter of grave concern. He said that the Indian Government does not allow such type of treatment to public representatives of Canada or other countries when they come to visit India.
Seeking appropriate action in the matter, Rana KP Singh further wrote to Minister of External Affairs, “I request you to take cognizance of this incident and consider taking up this matter with the appropriate authorities of the Canadian Government so that public representatives from our country are not subjected to such type of untoward and humiliating incidents in future.”
A delegation of Aam Aadmi Party led by the then Leader of Opposition party Sukhpal Singh Khaira met the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker and sought intervention in the matter on July 24.