Rejecting Canada's Defence of its Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday said he stood by his principled stand of not associating himself with any "Khalistani sympathiser".
Even as he lashed out at his critics, within India, of his "Khalistani sympathiser" remarks against the Canadian Defence Minister, Capt Amarinder reiterated that Sajjan, and several other Ministers and top leaders in Canada, were sympathising with those indulging in anti-India activities, notwithstanding Canada's claims to the contrary.
Reiterating his stand on the issue, the Chief Minister said while, as a democratic nation, India believed in the freedom of speech, which was enshrined in the Constitution, he would personally not meet any Khalistani sympathisers.
He made it clear that while Sajjan was welcome to attend conferences and meets, and even to visit Darbar Sahib, "I would personally not entertain the Canadian Minister as I have concrete information about his being a Khalistani sympathiser, just as his father Kundan Sajjan, a board member of the World Sikh Organisation was.
"The State Government would provide full security to the Minister and also ensure that he gets due treatment as per protocol, but I would not be seen hobnobbing with a Khalistani sympathiser.”
Capt Amarinder said not only Sajjan but other Ministers and MPs, including Navdeep Bains, Amarjit Sohi, Sukh Dhaiwal, Darshan Kang
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, Raj Grewal, Harinder Malhi, Roby Sahota, Jagmeet Singh and Randeep Sari, were well-known for their leanings Capt sticks to his stand on Canadian Minister towards the Khalistani movement.
Also lashing out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dal Khalsa for their criticism of his refusal to meet the Canadian Defence Minister during the latter's expected visit to India later this month, he accused these outfits of playing into the hands of forces inimical to India.
"I am worried not about what the Canadians, including Sajjan, felt about my stand, but about the future of Punjab, which has suffered immensely at the hands of Khalistani terrorist forces at the height of militancy," he added.
As many as 35,000 innocent lives were lost during those days of violence, the Chief Minister pointed out, adding that people like Sajjan had not only run away from the turmoil to settle abroad but were encouraging such extremist elements by supporting their philosophy.
"I'm not bothered about what Sajjan or others in the Canadian government think about my stand. I am concerned only about the detrimental impact of these Khalistani sympathizers on the country, particularly on Punjab," said Capt Amarinder, reacting Canada's response to his statement and Dal Khalsa leadership's assertion that his refusal to meet Sajjan will bring down his own stature and not that of the Canadian minister.
Accusing the Dal Khalsa of playing to the gallery by choosing to join issue with him on the matter, Capt Amarinder said that he had never believed in public posturing for the sake of political propriety or necessity but had stood by principles.
From breaking away from the Congress in the wake of Operation Bluestar to resigning from the lok Sabha over the SYl issue, "I have always upheld the values that protected the interests of Punjab and its people", he said.
Also flaying AAP leadership, he termed its reaction as expected and in line with AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal's proven softness for the Khalistani forces. "Kejriwal had shown his extremist leanings by staying at a former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) militant during one of his visits to Punjab as part of his election campaign…In the circumstances, AAP's strong reaction is quite natural," he added. (Related report on Pg 3)