Amritsar- Dal
Khalsa has sent a memorandum to visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mr Stephen
Harper sharing with him its concerns and thoughts about Sikhs in India and
Canada.
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| Sardar Harcharanjit Singh Dhami President Dal Khalsa International |
In a 3 page communiqué faxed to New Delhi based Canadian embassy, party head H S Dhami said that there was no doubt that Sikh Canadians are proud participants in all walks of Canadian life, impacting the welfare of not only their own community but Canadian society too.He however, rued that while Canada has responded to Sikh concerns residing over there, it has largely remained oblivious of human rights violations in India, perhaps in deference to its financial and business interests with this huge sub-continental country.
The
letter further states that the solidarity of the Sikhs worldwide during the
weeks following the killings of Sikhs in Wisconsin, USA, has adequately pressed
the point home that Sikhs are an international community and their concerns
transgress geographical boundaries and that respective governments must
acknowledge this while dealing with Sikhs and their issues.
Mr Dhami
said media reports suggest that Indian authorities were preparing to “corner
you by discussing Sikh-Canadians who raise voice against human rights
violations in India and those who are steadfast in their commitment to Sikh
self rule”. Cautioning the visiting leader, he said “we hope and pray that, you
would not commit the same faux pas which your Foreign Minister did when he
visited India sometime back”. He said Sikhs were worried about the under-currents.
He further said Sikhs
as a people have political aspirations of nationhood based on their distinct
identity, history and legacy. These aspirations may have been suppressed by
governments from time to time, but cannot be wished away. Exercising civil rights in a forceful way does not
make it similar to extremism or as some would even call it terrorism. We expect
that Canadian government would continue to honour this distinction, he remarked.
The Sikh party extended a warm welcome to him during his visit to Punjab
and touching upon his proposed visit to Anandpur Sahib and Chandigarh on
November 7, the letter said that theirs organization happy that the Canadian
Prime Minister would discuss bi-lateral trade with the leadership of the
State of Punjab. The Canadian government should explore more educational
ties between Canadian Universities and those in Punjab, read the memo.
