Amid strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada over the killing of a Khalistani leader in June, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said on Tuesday that the matter is “very serious” and it will affect Sikhs all over the world.
“In the case of murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, the expulsion of a diplomatic officer from India by the Canadian government following the allegations against him raises many questions.
“In reaction to this, although India rejected the allegations and expelled a Canadian diplomatic officer, this matter is very serious and directly related to Sikhs which will affect members of the community globally,” he said. said Dhami.
Canada and India have each expelled a senior diplomat after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in the killing of Nijjar in Surrey in June, claims that New Delhi flatly reject as “absurd” and “motivated”. “.
Dhami, the head of the apex religious body of Sikhs, further said that the governments of both countries should bring the matter on the agenda for serious consideration instead of getting accusations.
Dhami stated that Sikhs live all over the world, whose human rights as well as religious concerns are important. “The Sikh community has gone through many painful moments,” Dhami said while referring to some incidents including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“Even today, Sikhs living in many countries have been deprived of coming to their homeland and paying obeisance at the holy shrines of their gurus (religious teachers),” Dhami said in a statement here.
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He said that Sikhs have always maintained their high presence and existence in the country and the entire world with their hardworking nature and intellectual strength, despite which the community must always fight for their rights.
“It is the responsibility of the country’s government to take a sincere approach on these issues related to Sikhs in the country and abroad and not allow an atmosphere of mistrust among members of the community,” Dhami said.
“Seeing the existence of Sikhs all over the world today, both Canada and India need to come together, so that the truth can come out in case of allegations and relations between the two countries also remain good,” he added. .