Yes...No...and may be yes! After many flip-flops, the much-awaited meeting between Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh may actually happen.
For, the Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, who was snubbed by Capt Amarinder during his India tour in April last year, has reportedly asked the Canadian High Commissioner in India to arrange a meeting between Trudeau and Capt Amarinder.
Trudeau, who started his week-long India tour on Sunday from Agra, is scheduled to visit Amritsar’s Golden Temple on February 21.
Earlier, Capt Amarinder had denied meeting Trudeau while publicly accusing members of his cabinet of being connected to the Sikh separatist movement, Khalistan.
Capt Amarinder had many times, including earlier this month, stated that he believed that several members of Trudeau’s cabinet were sympathetic to Sikh separatists
who want to create an independent Sikh state called Khalistan — something Trudeau and the cabinet ministers themselves have all along been denying.
In a volte-face a few days ahead of Canadian Premier’s India visit, Capt Amarinder had not only lauded Sajjan for clarifying his stance on Khalistan, but also congratulated Trudeau for creating the necessary environment
against secessionist forces believed to be operating from his country.
Capt Amarinder had stated that he was looking forward to meet Canadian Prime Minister, and “the visit will give Canada and Punjab the
opportunity to strengthen business and trade ties for mutual benefit”.
With this, it was believed that Capt Amarinder would welcome himself Trudeau during his Amritsar visit, and it was reported that he would also act as Canadian premier’s tour guide. But, the Canadian officials, couple of days ago, had denied of having any official meeting between the two.
At the same time, there are reports that Capt Amarinder is not keeping well.
Now, with Sajjan’s intervention, the meeting between Capt Amarinder and Trudeau is believed to take place.
This issue of support for Khalistan, which has been on the rise in Canada with extremists organising multiple events across the country to rally support for the movement in the past few years, has always figured prominently in Indo-Canada talks.
Several pro-Khalistan groups in Canada are also planning to hold, what they call, the ‘Punjab Independence Referendum’ in 2020.
In fact, in July 2016, India had raised the issue with Canada after Trudeau appeared in a nagar kirtan event in Toronto that featured Khalistani flags and posters of extremist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
On April 30, 2016, Trudeau had addressed a parade on ‘Khalsa Day’ which included events glorifying Sikh militant leaders. liberal Party government, headed by Trudeau, is considered as one that has often pandered to separatist elements in Canada.
Notably, a legislator from Trudeau’s party Harinder Kaur Malhi had also moved a resolution against India to recognise 1984 anti-Sikh riots as a genocide — which was passed by the Ontario Assembly on April 6 last year.
No less than three members of Trudeau’s Cabinet —Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi - alleged to have links with the separatist movement.