Punjab CM welcomes Canadian Ministers' stand on Khalistan

Wednesday 14th February 2018 03:38 EST
 

Chandigarh: Ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Justim Trudeau's visit to Amritsar, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh welcomed a statement by two Canadian federal Ministers of Indian-origin that they did not sympathise with the Khalistan demand. Amarinder, who had refused to meet Indian-origin Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan during his visit to Punjab in April last year, said he was looking forward to meeting Trudeau.

In a statement, Amarinder welcomed the "categorical denial by Sajjan, the first Sikh to be Defence Minister of a western country, of taking a pro-Khalistani stance, and congratulated Trudeau for creating the necessary environment against secessionist forces (demanding separate Sikh homeland) believed to be operating from his country".

"Sajjan's statement, carried by the Canadian Press, said that he and fellow Sikh Minister Amarjit Sohi, 'neither sympathise with nor espouse the Sikh nationalist movement, which is bent on creating a separate country called Khalistan in India's Punjab region' indicated that the Canadian Prime Minister had clearly sent out a strong signal within his party and government that he would not allow his country's soil to be used for any anti-India activities," the Chief Minister said.

"The latest statements by Sajjan and Sohi, who has also made it clear that he does not sympathise with the (Khalistani) cause, have paved the way for better relations with Canada, which shares strong roots with India in view of the large Sikh population settled there," Amarinder said.

Reiterating that he had always found Trudeau to be a fine human being, the Chief Minister said he looked forward to meeting the Canadian leader during his visit to India, including Punjab, in February. "The (Trudeau) visit will give Canada and Punjab an opportunity to strengthen trade ties for mutual benefit," Amarinder added.


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