Punjab CM interacts with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s children during their visit to India in 2018.(File)
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Saturday welcomed Canada’s decision not to recognise the results of the ‘Referendum 2020’ being organised by the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
The CM hoped other countries would also follow Canada’s example and reject the secessionist `Referendum 2020’, which the SFJ was promoting to divide India on communal lines.
Amarinder was reacting to a media report quoting a spokesperson of the foreign ministry of Canada as saying “Canada respects the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India, and the Government of Canada will not recognise the referendum”. The CM said the categorical stand taken by the Justin Trudeau government on the issue is exemplary and other nations and governments should also come out openly against SFJ, which has been banned by India as a terrorist organisation and whose founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannu has been declared a terrorist for actively promoting Pakistan-backed terror activities on Indian soil.
This is the first time Amarinder has praised Trudeau. Otherwise, he has been critical of him, especially when it came to a perception that he did not oppose anti-India secessionist forces.
Amarinder, in a statement, said “failure to openly oppose the separatist SFJ could set a dangerous precedent for any country as it could be seen as a case of covert support to an organisation that is freely propagating secessionist activities”.
It was in the interest of global peace and security to reject forces that are bent on spreading terror, he said, adding that Sikhs in Punjab had categorically rejected SFJ’s pro-Khalistan movement, which the outfit was spreading at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI.