Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday condemned Canada's New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh's remarks on "self-determination" for Punjab and said the Canadian authorities should take serious note of such disruptive elements trying to spread discord in India.
Amarinder Singh said that Jagmeet Singh "was obviously totally disconnected from the ground realities in India, where Sikhs hold a place of pride with their excellent achievements in every field".
He accused Jagmeet Singh of trying to destabilise Punjab by creating strife with his "ill-conceived and confrontational remarks".
Jagmeet Singh, in a statement, had said that he considers self-determination to be a "basic right" in places such as Punjab, Catalonia or Quebec.
"This was clearly designed to spread trouble in Punjab. My government will not allow any such attempt to succeed at any cost," Amarinder Singh said in a statement here.
"At a time when Punjab was working on a holistic development and revival agenda, Jagmeet was trying to whip up negative passions among the Sikh community. The newly-elected NDP (Nationalist Democratic Party) leader would not succeed in his nefarious designs as the people of Punjab wanted peace and stability," the Chief Minister declared.
Expressing a sense of pride at the contribution of the Sikh community worldwide, Amarinder Singh said: "Sikhs were known for their extraordinary accomplishments and for bringing accolades not only to India but to whichever country they were settled in. A handful of destructive elements could not undermine the achievements of the Sikhs."
He pointed out that radical outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which operates in the US and Canada, had failed to trigger unrest in Punjab through its recent "Khalistan 2020 Referendum",' which Jagmeet Singh had echoed with his statement on self-determination.
The Chief Minister said that Jagmeet Singh's comments against Punjab amounted to "anti-India conspiracy" and hoped the Canadian government would take due cognizance of the same. He urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure that his country's soil is not used for such treacherous assaults on India's integrity and security.
Reacting to Jagmeet’s recent remark, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said that Canadian leaders should not meddle in India’s affairs. “They should mind their own affairs. We respect the sovereignty of our country. Punjab and our party are an unbreakable part of the Indian democratic and political system,” Cheema said.
Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Bhagwant Manntermed Jagmeet’s self-determination talk a part of his domestic politics in Canada. “We congratulate Jagmeet on his achievements in another country, but that does not mean he can say anything he likes or talk about self-determination in Punjab,” said Mann, who represents Sangrur in Parliament.
“India is a democratic country where everyone from a sarpanch to an MP is elected by the people. Punjab is very much its part. We swear by the Constitution. Punjab is the annadata (provider of grain) to the country. It has seen ups and downs but I am confident that it will regain its glory,” he said.
Former National Commission for Minorities chairman and former Rajya Sabha MP Tarlochan Singh said, “Sikhs living in Punjab and India have never demanded a separate state, which is the brainchild of a few Sikhs living abroad. We believe in the unity of India and want to solve all our problems through constitutional means.”
“Sikhs all over the world rejoiced when you were elected NDP president but your views on Khalistan have done great damage to our aspirations. It is better you confine your political views to Canada and don’t create any problem for Sikhs in India,” he said.
“You are aware that we hold elections to our assemblies and Parliament regularly and Sikhs have been participating and electing their representatives. We had the privilege to have a Sikh once as President of India and also as the Prime Minister. A Sikh recently retired as the Chief Justice of India,” he added.
