Canadian government should snub anti-India activities on its soil: BJP

AMRITSAR: Inclusion of the component of Sikh extremism in 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada has hailed by Indian leadership even as Canadian Sikh bodies have sought to meet Canada’s minister of public safety and emergency preparedness Ralph Goodale to persuade him to withdraw the component from the report as the same could malign the image of Canadian Sikhs.

While talking to TOI on Friday, BJP’s national secretary Tarun Chugh said “I appreciate that Canadian government has identified the threat and have taken a right step to make the people cautious of such elements anti India activities and eliminate any menace to peace in future”. He said anti Indian forces operating outside India should not only be exposed but they should also be snubbed adding government of Canada should take strict action against such forces.

All India Anti Terrorist Front chairman MS Bitta opined that the Canadian government must have included the Sikh militancy component in its report only after they would have identified some pro Khalitani elements on Canadian soil who were threat to their nation.

“Indian government should take up the issue with Canadian government through diplomatic channels to put such elements behind bars” said Bitta.

He said Khalistani elements settled in foreign countries were fanning the movement for their personal interests only. “I am of view that common Punjabi’s shouldn’t show any concern what separatists settled abroad are doing , we should leave the issue on our Centre government to deal” he said.

“Khalistan was never there, nor will it be in future, it’s just a utopian state” he said adding that a handful of Sikhs who were puppets in the hands of Paksitan’s ISI were spreading venom.

“We can’t say that every Sikh is Khalistani, it will be wrong to say so, we should isolate these people and put them behind bars” he added.

Meanwhile president of World Sikh Organization of Canada Mukhbir Singh informed that they had requested a meeting with Goodale to discuss the issue and to understand what would have motivated the inclusion of Sikh extremism in the report.

President of Shiromani Akali Dal (A) Canada East Sukhminder Singh Hansra said the party had also written to Goodale to stand up to India’s alleged smear campaign.He said the irresponsible act by the Canadian government would continue to harm the credibility of Sikh in Canada.