Justin Trudeau assures Punjab CM after latter hands him list of 9 Canada-based operatives alleged to be involved in target-killings and other hate crimes in state.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh handed a list of nine Canada based operatives allegedly involved in promoting radicalism to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during their meeting in Amritsar as the ‘Khalistan’ issue featured prominently in the talks between the two leaders.
Both leaders held a 40-minute long meeting at a hotel after Trudeau paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and visited the Partition Museum.
Chief Minister Singh submitted a list of nine Canada-based operatives alleged to be involved in target-killings and other hate crimes in Punjab, including financing and supplying of weapons for terrorist activities, an official said.
He urged Trudeau to initiate stern action against such elements.
The Canadian premier assured the Punjab chief minister that his country did not support “any separatist movement in India or elsewhere,” said Raveen Thukral, the chief minister’s media advisor.
The “categorical assurance” from Trudeau came after Amarinder Singh sought the Canadian prime minister’s cooperation in cracking down on fringe elements, constituting a miniscule percentage of Canadian population, he added.
Citing the separatist movement in Quebec, Trudeau said he had dealt with such threats all his life and was fully aware of the dangers of violence, Thukral said.
“Really happy to receive categorical assurance from Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau that his country does not support any separatist movement. His words are a big relief to all of us here in India and we look forward to his government’s support in tackling fringe separatist elements,” Singh tweeted after the meeting.
Significantly, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu were also present at the meeting.
Source:MM
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I would not believe any thing the Canadian PM says while he is in India. Words are cheap. Just like Britain, London where every known criminals get sanctuary with the blessings of the British government and the Courts, unless it is US citizen and wanted by US, Canada is also a soft touch, a heaven for separatists. Canada will only understands if India supports Quebec separatists who want their separate nation with French as the main language. Canadian PM is an idealist, a dreamer who thinks the world is a bed of roses. One day he will wake up to a nightmare.
I have been and still am, a fan of Narinder Modi and appreciate the efforts he and his team have put in to improve the things in India. Yet I personally feel that by not extending him a proper protocol, any Prime Minister of a Common Wealth country deserves, they missed an opportunity to establish more cordial relations with Canada, a country full of Indian Immigrants of all castes – Sikhs, Hindus and Christians. Maybe Khalistanis are more in the news, but we should also remember there is an equal number of those who are faithful to India. Let us believe the assurance the Canadian Primes Minister has given to the authorities and also to the general public in india that he believes in the unity of Indi.