Khalistan ‘non-issue’, Akali MP tells capt

New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Prem Singh Chandumajra on Thursday hit out at Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for raking up “non-issue” with the visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He said Amarinder had raised Khalistan with Trudeau which was now a “non-issue”. He questioned the utility of his demand to deport nine Sikhs from Canada to India with regard alleged charges of their involvement in terrorism. Chandumajra said after many years of efforts the Union Home Ministry has struck down “70 per cent of names” of Sikhs from its first “blacklist”. The names relate to those allegedly involved in militancy in Punjab. “Now the Chief Minister is trying to turn back the clock, which will work against the public image of the Sikh community, he alleged. Chandumajra said the CM should have raised substantive issues with Trudeau like borrowing Canadian technologies in the field of agriculture and providing employment to Sikhs in that country. tns