Tight security was in place in and around this holy city for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to the Golden Temple complex on Wednesday.
Government security agencies and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) officials were on Tuesday working to ensure the visit to the Sikh shrine goes without hindrance or controversy since radical Sikhs may seek to rake up the issue of a separate Sikh homeland "Khalistan".
Hundreds of personnel of Punjab Police and other security agencies were stationed at the Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport near here, and on the road from the airport to the Golden Temple complex and other areas Trudeau is expected to visit.
Trudeau, on a eight-day visit to India, will arrive in Amritsar on Wednesday from Mumbai and offer prayers at the Golden Temple or "Harmandar Sahib" -- the holiest Sikh shrine.
Posted by Babbu Maan on Tuesday, 20 February 2018
The visit holds political and social significance in Canada as that country has a substantial Indian diaspora, a majority of them from Punjab.
Trudeau, according to police sources, has asked local authorities to let him and his family, including three minor children, to enjoy the spirituality of the Golden Temple during the visit.
He will be received at the Golden Temple entrance by SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal.
Radical groups like the Dal Khalsa want to raise the issue of self-determination for the Sikhs during the visit.
#Simranjit_Singh_Mann welcomes Mr. #Trudeau_Prime_Minister_of_Canada to the Indian sub-continent.
Posted by Simranjit Singh Mann on Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Amritsar Police Commissioner S.S. Srivastava said adequate security arrangements have been made for the Canadian Prime Minister's visit.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday said he will meet Trudeau during his visit to Amritsar.
Amarinder Singh tweeted that he was looking forward to "one-on-one" meeting with the Canadian leader and said he was hopeful the meeting will help strengthen close India-Canadian business ties and people-to-people relations.
Look forward to meeting Canadian Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau in Amritsar on Wednesday. I’m hopeful that this meeting will help strengthen the close Indo-Canadian business ties as well as the deep-rooted people-to-people relations between our two countries.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) February 19, 2018
There was uncertainty over Amarinder Singh's meeting with Trudeau as the former had refused to meet Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan, the first Sikh Defence Minister of a Western country, during a visit to Punjab in April last year.
Amarinder Singh had labelled Sajjan and other Canadian Ministers of Indian origin as "Khalistani sympathisers".
Why does @capt_amarinder forget his these pictures when he label others as #Khalistan supporter? In one of these photos he is addressing the Sikhs from a Khalistan stage in #Canada & in 1994 at Akal Takht, he along with me pledged to struggle for the achievement of #Khalistan. pic.twitter.com/vK7zYswWnC
— Simranjit Singh Mann (@SimranjitSADA) February 20, 2018
Sajjan and three other Canadian federal ministers of Punjab origin are travelling with Trudeau during the visit.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said his group hopes Trudeau's visit to the Golden Temple would be a "historic one" in promoting Sikh-Canadian relations.
Sikh Nation ridicules Indian media’s Sikhophobia over Canadian PM visit. Media and Modi are hand-in-hand to embarrass...
Posted by Kanwarpal Singh on Monday, 19 February 2018
NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, HARDEEP SINGH PURI TO RECEIVE TRUDEAU AT AMRITSAR AIRPORT
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Punjab Local Government and Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will receive Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Sri Guru Ramdas Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Wednesday during the latter's visit to the Sikh holy city.
Sidhu would also accompany the Canadian Prime Minister during the visit to the Golden Temple complex, a Punjab government spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Trudeau will also visit the recently inaugurated Partition Museum.
Sidhu will accompany Trudeau during the visit to both places.Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is expected to meet Trudeau at a hotel in Amritsar during the visit.
"The Punjab government accords full importance to the ties it has with the Government of Canada and is committed wholeheartedly to further strengthen the mutual co-operation between the two governments," the spokesperson said.
Trudeau will arrive in Amritsar around 10.30 am from Mumbai and leave around 1.10 pm for New Delhi.
