Indo-Canadian relations hit an all-time low with the Canadian government associating India with the alleged murder of a Khalistani terrorist.
Published Sep 20, 2023 | 12:10 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 20, 2023 | 12:10 PM
Sunil Jakhar, Punjab BJP President. (Supplied)
As Indo-Canadian relations hit an all-time low with the Canadian government associating India with the alleged murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Punjab BJP sought support on the issue across party lines.
“The way Pakistan is using drugs to target Punjab, Canada provides refuge to elements trying to destabilise our peace. Yet, they have the nerve to criticise India. Punjabis and Indians won’t be passive spectators. We need to stand by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking bold action against such hypocrisy,” Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar told South First on Tuesday, 19 September.
“I call upon the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Akali Dal, and other parties in Punjab to speak in one voice, in support of the government of India and against the Canadian government’s attempt to interfere in Punjab’s matters,” he added.
The Congress party’s general secretary in-charge for communications, Jairam Ramesh, posted on X saying, “The Indian National Congress has always believed that our country’s fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, especially when terrorism threatens India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity. Our country’s interests and concerns must be kept paramount at all times”.
The Indian National Congress has always believed that our country’s fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, especially when terrorism threatens India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity. Our country’s interests and concerns must be kept paramount at all times.#Canada
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 19, 2023
While the AAP is yet to issue a statement, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) raised concern over the impact of the diplomatic tension on Punjabis across the world.
“We, the Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular have made unparalleled sacrifices for the independence, security and integrity of the nation and there can never be a compromise on that. The current developments around relations between India & Canada are extremely worrying as this will adversely affect the lives and livelihood of our people, especially our young students in Canada,” they said.
“The recent statement of the Canadian Prime Minister is a cause of serious concern. The Shiromani Akali Dal urges both the governments of Canada and India to settle the matter not with a confrontationist but with a statesman-like approach,” read a statement issued by SAD.
The SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami issued a statement saying, “The Sikh community has gone through many painful times, including the June 1984 military attack on Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib, the 1984 Sikh Genocide and the extra-judicial killings of Sikh youths for over a decade. The Sikh community living across the globe can never forget this pain.”
“Even today, the Sikhs living in many countries have been deprived of coming to their homeland and of paying obeisance at the sacred shrines of their Gurus (religious masters). Canada’s allegations around the murder of Harjeet Singh Nijjar are very serious and this will affect the Sikh community globally. The truth needs to come out on these accusations and India and Canada need to talk and work together,” he added.
Dhami also raised concerns over a report from Australia that Sikhs may have been wrongly accused in an attack on a Hindu temple and that the act was allegedly an inside job.
Dhami said that this was an attempt to “malign the Sikh community and harm the respect it had attained across the world”. The key Opposition party Congress has backed the government on the same.
