Political rivals, including the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are taking Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh head on for his comments against the Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
Capt Amarinder, a day before, not only plainly refused to meet the Indo-Canadian during his expected visit to Punjab later this month, but also dubbed him a “Khalistani sympathizer”.
Reacting strongly, SAD president Sukhbir Badal asked the Chief Minister not to act petty and spiteful and “give the Defence Minister of a sovereign country the respect he deserves”. AAP, on the other hand, condemned Capt Amarinder for branding Canadian Minister as “Khalistani”.
Mincing now words, Capt Amarinder had asserted that Harjit Sajjan “is a Khalistani sympathizer, and so was his father”.
“There are, in fact, five ministers in the Justin Trudeau Government who are Khalistani sympathizers and he would not have any truck with them. These Khalistani sympathizers had prevailed upon the government to prevent my entry into Canada, where I wanted to go to meet my Punjabi brethren and not to campaign for elections,” said Capt Amarinder.
“Capt Amarinder should not have let a personal incident cloud his judgement and he should have refrained from making disparaging remarks against Sajjan as well as all other Punjabi representatives in the Canadian parliament. Punjabis worldwide are proud of their elected representatives in Canada and Sajjan is an example of personal accomplishment for the entire Punjabi diaspora. He should not be disrespected in this manner,” said Sukhbir.
He said that taking such stands was counter-productive and would not augur well for Punjab and come in the way of trade and bilateral relations with Canada. “Moreover, it is not in the fitness of things for senior political leaders to show such rancour. One can take a lesson from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was denied visa by the United States but that action did not make him bitter to that county. In fact, Modi has gone out of the way to improve relations between India and the US. Punjabis worldwide also expect Amarinder to behave in a similar fashion and show political statesmanship and use his office to improve relations with Canada not to ruin them,” he added.
Sukhbir added that if the Union government and the States are giving due deserved respect to Sajjan, so should Capt Amarinder and the Punjab Government. This is the least which is expected from them considering Sajjan is from their State, he added.
Condemning Capt Amarinder for his refusal to meet the visiting Canadian Defence Minister, AAP MlA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that it reflects Congress leader’s vindictiveness towards Punjabis living in Canada.
“It is unfortunate that Chief Minister has not only insulted the Canadian Defence Minister, but entire Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular, who have already proved their mettle on foreign land not only in business but in political arena as well by getting elected as MPs/MlAs to become Ministers,” Khaira said.
Capt Amarinder’s “outburst” against Canadian Defence Minister is nothing else but his being vindictive towards him as he (Chief Minister) wanted to take “revenge” from NRIs living in Canada because they did not welcome him (CM) during his pre-poll visit to Canada, said Khaira.
Demanding that Capt Amarinder should immediately withdraw his remarks against the Canadian Defence Minister, Khaira said: “Captain must understand that people of Canada not only elected Harjit Sajjan as MP, but he also represents Government of Canada and as a Sikh and CM of Punjab, he should welcome the visiting Canadian Defence Minister.”
Khaira added that being the senior leader of AAP and chief whip of the party, he would organize a welcome for the Canadian Defence Minister in case Capt Amarinder continued to stay adamant.