S. Jaishankar Stands by Sikh Community Amid Canada’s Extremism Concerns
S. Jaishankar has voiced his support for the Sikh community and addressed concerns related to extremism in Canada. He emphasized that the extremist elements represent only a small minority within the Sikh community and do not reflect the views of the entire population.
During a press conference in Washington DC, Jaishankar responded to questions about the concerns of the Sikh community. He made it clear that the ongoing discussions and issues related to extremism and violence should not be seen as representative of the entire Sikh community.
“I do not believe that the discussions that are taking place right now are the representative issues of the entire community (Sikhs). Those who talk about terrorism, the separatist people, whose arguments include violence…this is a small minority, and the respective governments should take unbiased actions. We should not take this as a matter of the entire community.”
S. Jaishankar’s statement
Issues with Canada’s Approach
Jaishankar also highlighted the strained relationship between India and Canada. It is due to the Canadian government’s permissive stance on terrorism, extremism, and violence. He noted that this permissiveness has been evident in Canada’s failure to respond to important extradition requests. These requests are related to individuals and organizations involved in violence and illegal activities in India.
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The External Affairs Minister stated: “The fact is that we have had an ongoing problem with Canada and the Canadian government for some years now. And the ongoing problem really revolves around the permissiveness in regard to terrorism, extremism, and violence.”
Canada’s Unsubstantiated Claims
In recent developments, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India promptly refuted these claims, labeling them as absurd and motivated. Canada has not provided any public evidence to support these allegations.
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The strained relations between India and Canada have led to India suspending its visa services in Canada. India also issued an advisory to its citizens and travelers to Canada, urging them to exercise utmost caution due to growing anti-India activities, politically condoned hate crimes, and criminal violence in the country.
S. Jaishankar’s statements underline India’s commitment to supporting the Sikh community while addressing concerns related to extremism.
