SGPC to keep hardliners at bay

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 20

After his visit to the Golden Temple, Trudeau will meet Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. An official said: “It will be a 20-minute meeting. The focus area would be trade and business avenues.”

Tight security arrangements have been made in and around the holy city. Security agencies and SGPC officials were on their toes to ensure the high-profile visit doesn’t face any glitch or controversy.

Sources said their biggest challenge would be to keep the separatist forces at bay and ensure that they did not raise pro-Khalistan slogans. Earlier during Canada’s Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s visit, hardliners had managed to sneak into the Golden Temple in the guise of devotees and had raised slogans, leading to a clash with the security personnel.

SAD (Amritsar) general secretary Jarnail Singh Sakhira said they would hand over a memorandum to the Canadian PM regarding Sikh issues in his country. “We don’t rely on Amarinder or Sukhbir to raise Sikh issues genuinely. We will try to approach Canadian PM at the Golden Temple complex,” he said.

Meanwhile, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said Trudeau and his team had been doing remarkable job in the interest of the Sikh community in Canada and he would be duly honoured, if he visited Akal Takht.

Jassi case victim’s plea 

Chandigarh: Sukhwinder Singh Mithu, who has been seeking justice in the 18-year-old honour killing of his Canadian citizen wife Jassi, has sought a meeting with Trudeau. The Canadian government is yet to take a decision on the extradition of Jassi’s mother Malkiat Kaur and uncle Surjit Singh Badesha. TNS

Why the snub: GK 

New Delhi: Manjit Singh GK, president, DSGMC, criticised the Centre for giving the “cold shoulder” to Trudeau. GK said attempts were being made to wrongly project Trudeau, who has four Sikh ministers in his Cabinet, as a separatists’ sympathiser. He asked the Modi government to show warmth towards the visiting dignitary. TNS