Clarify stand on Canadian PM’s allegations, Akal Takht Jathedar asks govt of India

Chandigarh, September 20

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh on Wednesday asked the Union government to clarify its position on Canada’s allegations regarding the murder of a Khalistani leader and said the accusations reminded the Sikhs of Operation Blue Star and the 1984 riots.

In a video message, the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, called the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations “sensational news”.

Canada and India have expelled a senior diplomat each after Trudeau alleged the involvement of “agents of the Indian government” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in June. The claims were rejected by India as “absurd” and “motivated”.

“This has left the Sikhs living across the world shaken and has reminded them of Operation Blue Star, the 1984 genocide of Sikhs (anti-Sikh riots) and the killing of Sikh youth in Punjab. It has reopened the old wounds,” said Singh.

“What could be worse than this if Indian agencies were involved in the murder of Nijjar,” said the Jathedar.

The Union government should clarify its position on the accusations levelled by the Canadian PM in Parliament, he further said.

The army had carried out Operation Blue Star in June 1984 to flush out hiding militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

The Jathedar’s remarks came a day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee said although the Indian government trashed the Canadian government’s accusations and also expelled a Canadian diplomat, the matter is very serious and will affect Sikhs at the global level.