CHANDIGARH: Amid the ongoing face-off between India and Canada, Punjab politicians across party lines have slammed Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his remarks targeting India, but at the same time, asked the Union government to resolve the matter keeping in mind the Indian students who go to Canada on a study visa.
Most of these students are from Punjab. Besides, there are thousands of Punjabis who have taken up Canadian citizenship. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, said he believed dialogue was the only way forward for every diplomatic problem.
Sahney expressed deep concern over Trudeau’s claims targeting the Indian government over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist. “Instead of issuing a public statement and sending back a senior Indian diplomat, Trudeau should have initiated a dialogue with India on his doubts about India’s alleged interference on Canadian soil,” he said.
However, Sahney said shutting down visa issuance was not a prudent step. “There are thousands of Punjabis living in Canada; one wrong step and they will have to face the collateral damage. A vast majority of Canadian Sikhs are pro-India and cannot be blamed for acts of a handful of fundamentalists,” he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to take necessary steps to ensure a quick resolution of the dispute with Canada. “Punjabis are in a state of panic due to deteriorating relations between the two countries,” he said and made a similar appeal to the Canadian government. “There is a sense of panic and both governments should quickly find a solution to the crisis,’’ he said.
Badal also expressed deep concern over the suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals to India, saying it affected lakhs of Punjabis living overseas, including nationals of Indian origin as well as students. “This is set to create hurdles, uncertainty, and anxiety for Punjabis,” he said.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the decision to suspend visa services will badly impact Punjabis who have now taken Canadian citizenship. “A large number of Indian-origin Canadians have families back home. There are elderly parents and siblings whom they visit during the festival season. I appeal to the Ministry of External Affairs to resolve the issue at the earliest,’’ he said.