CHANDIGARH: The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) plan to garner NRI support by sending their delegations to the US and Canada has backfired.
At all the places that the SAD delegations, headed by cabinet ministers, visited, they faced angry crowds. The party was forced to cancel its conference in Abbotsford and Surrey in Canada, New York and several other places. A SAD delegation comprising NRI Affairs and Agriculture Minister Tota Singh and political adviser to CM Maheshinder Singh Grewal faced opposition in Toronto in Canada. The protestors got on to the stage and questioned the delegation on various issues: drug abuse, corruption, river waters and NRI-related issues, forcing the ministers to leave.
At the conference at Richmond Hill, New York (USA), again Tota Singh and his delegation faced strong opposition and even a shoe was hurled at the minister. The protesters raised slogans against SAD and the demonstration turned violent. Two men were arrested but later released.
It was no better at Abbotsford (British Columbia) in Canada where the delegation led by Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Sakinder Singh Maluka had to face ire of the protesting Sikhs. The conference at Surrey was cancelled and just a selective dinner meeting took place.
During his Canada visit, Maluka generated another controversy as he called the Canadian Police ‘inefficient’ and claimed that Punjab Police was better than Canadian Police. In response, Canadian MP of Indian Origin Davinder Shoray expressed his reservations and said nobody should criticise the police as it was against diplomatic protocol. Maluka’s remark also drew censure from another MP of Indian origin, Tim Uppal, and Canadian Defence Minister Jason Kenney.
Similar protests also took place in Seattle where the delegation was led by Water Supplies, Sanitation and Higher Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.
The only delegation that did not face opposition was that of MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Balwinder Singh Bhunder which visited California. “We will try to understand the issues and problems of NRIs from their perspective and accordingly tackle them, but the protests were by radicals,’’ said Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, chief spokesman of SAD.
The opposition lost no time in making hay when the sun shone. Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa said, “This is manifestation of the anger that NRI Punjabis have against the Akali Dal, especially the Badals.”
Taking advantage of the drubbing of SAD, other parties are set to cash in on their unpopularity. Former Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh will visit USA and Canada on a two-week tour in September to woo NRIs.
AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur also plans to visit Canada to garner NRI support.