Hardening his stand against Canada’s Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan, whom he had dubbed a “Khalistani sympathiser” on Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said not only Sajjan but Canada’s other Sikh ministers and MPs — including Navdeep Bains, Amarjit Sohi, Sukh Dhaliwal, Darshan Kang, Raj Grewal, Harinder Malhi, Ruby Sahota and Randeep Sarai — were known for their pro-Khalistan leanings.
Canada, meanwhile, termed Capt Amarinder’s comment that five ministers in the Justin Trudeau government, including Sajjan, were Khalistani sympathisers as “disappointing and inaccurate”.
Rejecting Canada’s defence, Capt Amarinder said he stood by his “principled” stand and would not meet any “Khalistani sympathiser”.
The CM seems to have politically scored over the Aam Aadmi Party, the main Opposition party, whom he had during electioneering accused of aligning with radical Sikh groups.
Reacting sharply, AAP said the CM has not only insulted Sajjan, but “Sikhs in particular, who have proved their mettle in foreign lands”.
The CM said Sajjan was welcome to attend conferences in Punjab and visit the Golden Temple but he would not play host to him as he had information that like his father Kundan Sajjan, a board member of the World Sikh Organisation, he too was sympathetic to the Khalistan cause. "The state government will provide security to the minister and ensure that he is treated as per the protocol," Amarinder said.
He lashed out at AAP and for attacking him on the issue, accusing the two of playing into the hands of forces inimical to India. He said his sole concern was the future of Punjab that had lost 35,000 innocent lives during militancy.
The CM said he had never believed in public posturing and "from breaking away from the Congress in the wake of Operation Bluestar to resigning from the Lok Sabha over the SYL issue," he had only upheld values to protect the interests of Punjab and its people.
The CM said AAP's criticism only proved that its national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s had a soft corner for Khalistanis. "Kejriwal had shown his extremist leanings by residing in the house of a former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) militant during one of his election tours," Amarinder pointed out.
CONGRESS SEEKS CLARIFICATION FROM SAJJAN ON KHALISTAN STAND - ADVISES SUKHBIR, KHAIRA NOT TO BE ‘MORE LOYAL THAN KING’
Senior Congress leaders and legislators on Friday asked the Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan to clarify his stand on Khalistan.
“It is important and in the interest of the good and friendly relationship between India and Canada that Sajjan clarify his stand on the sensitive issue,” they demanded.
The Congress leaders also referred to the Canadian High Commission’s statement on the matter, saying it had tried to hide more than clarifying anything.
“It is surprising that the High Commission has preferred to remain quiet on the specific issue that is of serious concern and consequences for the peace-loving Punjabis,” they said, adding that instead of clarifying the issue, the High Commission has tried to cover it up and put up a vague defence.
The Congress legislators advised the Akali and Aam Aadmi Party leaders not to try “to be more loyal than the king” by coming to Sajjan’s defence when he had himself preferred not to deny his association with Khalistan sympathisers and supporters.
In a joint statement, senior Congress leaders and legislators, including Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sukh Sarkaria and Navtej Cheema, reiterated that the Canadian Defence Minister and some of his ministerial and MP colleagues there had known affiliation with anti-India forces.
“Moreover none of them have denied these charges, while leaders like Sukhbir Badal, Sukhpal Khaira and HS Phoolka have gone overboard in defending them for reasons best known to them,” the Congress leaders pointed out, while questioning the intent and interest of the local leaders in defending the Canadian lawmakers.
“Or is it because you go there with a begging bowl to collect funds,” they asked Khaira and Phoolka in particular.
The Congress legislators asserted that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had only reiterated a fact, which Sajjan had not denied himself. “There is no question of insulting a Punjabi or a Sikh in stating a fact about political leanings and inclinations of a particular leader just because he happens to be a Punjabi or a Sikh,” they added.
The leaders supported the Chief Minister’s stand in refusing to meet Sajjan. “We need to draw a clear line as Punjab cannot afford to play with fire which people like Sajjan are stoking and fanning in Canada that has dangerous potential to engulf Punjab and push it back into the dark days,” they said.
