PUNJAB: Amid the India-Canada standoff, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring Friday made it clear that they strongly oppose the idea of Khalistan but in the same breath opposed labelling of their youth as "anti-nationals".
He also emphasised that the "malicious attempts to tarnish our youngsters must be repulsed". "While we at @INCPunjab strongly oppose the idea of Khalistan & have actively fought our battles against anti-national forces, I strongly oppose labelling of our youngsters like @Shubhworldwide, who speak for Punjab as anti-nationals. We Punjabis don’t need to give any proof about our nationalism. This propaganda being pushed by certain forces against Punjabis to undermine us is highly condemnable. Malicious attempts to tarnish our youngsters must be repulsed. Jai Hind! Jai Punjab!", Amrinder Singh Raja Warring posted on X.
Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Thursday said that Ottawa has taken on the role of what Pakistan used to be earlier. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him that Indian students in Canada will be taken care off.
"I had a discussion (regarding the students in Canada) with PM Modi in the Parliament yesterday and he told me that they'll take care of it ...” Ravaneet Singh said, adding, “Canada has taken the role of how Pakistan used to be earlier..."
Tensions escalated in India-Canada relations after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada's Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.
The allegations made by the Canadian Prime Minister and foreign minister were rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs in India which dubbed the statements as absurd.
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Speaking about Nijjar, Ravaneet Singh said that the designated terrorist was the right hand of the killers who assassinated his grandfather.“Hardeep Singh Nijjar was the right hand of the killers who assassinated my grandfather (former Punjab CM Beant Singh). He went there in 1993 and he got the citizenship...Nijjar and company are out of the 10 most wanted gangsters and drug peddlers...,” he added.
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