Ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday lauded Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan for clarifying his stance on Khalistan. Capt Amarinder also congratulated Trudeau for creating the necessary environment against secessionist forces believed to be operating from his country.
The Canadian Press on Wednesday carried a statement by Sajjan and his fellow Sikh Minister Amarjit Sohi, saying that they “neither sympathise with nor espouse the Sikh nationalist movement, which is bent on creating a separate country called Khalistan in India’s Punjab region”.
In reaction to this, Capt Amarinder said that this statement demonstrated that the Canadian Prime Minister had clearly sent out a strong signal within his party and the Government that he would not allow his country’s soil to be used for any anti-India activities.
He said that the clarification by Sajjan that he does not sympathise with the (Khalistani) cause, has paved the way for better relations with Canada, which is home to a large Sikh population.
Capt Amarinder, who had refused to meet Harjit Sajjan during his visit to Punjab in April last year, said that he was looking forward to meeting Trudeau during his visit to Punjab later this month.
Capt Amarinder said that no nation should foster divisive forces that propagate terrorism. “Such activities pose a serious threat to global peace and, therefore, should not be allowed to flourish in any part of the world.
“Nurturing or supporting separatist forces always proves detrimental, in the long run, not only to countries against which they are unleashed but also to those which allow such elements to operate from their soil,” he added.
Canada, said Capt Amarinder, had always been a friend of India, especially Punjab, whose people had contributed significantly to the Western nation’s progress and development.