Easy asylum rules make Canada a haven for Punjab hardliners

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

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Chandigarh, September 19

Easy asylum in Canada on the pretext of human rights violations allowed the entry of hardliner Sikhs, particularly after Operation Bluestar in 1984, over the decades.

‘Asylum’ gains importance in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blaming India for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, chief of the banned the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), in June. Talwinder Singh Parmar, who was the alleged mastermind of the 1985 Air-India flight bombing which left 329 dead, was working openly against the interests of the country. He was not convicted.

A majority of asylum seekers gave political persecution as the reason for their intention for shifting to Canada. Their claims were given credence by letters issued by a politically irrelevant party here. The letters said the bearers of the document ‘feared persecution and even death at the hands of political opponents’. The letters mentioned tales of torture, murders and extrajudicial killing of Sikhs since Independence, particularly in 1984, by the police.

An immigration consultant based in Surrey said, “Canada is an immigration-friendly country. No one can deny that radicals, too, have managed an entry. At the same time, it is wrong to presume that this small group represents the mood of the entire Sikh population in Canada. We need a relook into our asylum rules.”

He said, “Except for a small minority, the majority of the population is busy in earning their livelihood. At the same time, I will concede that news related to Khalistan makes big headlines in the media.”

‘The Refugee Claims Analysis Report’ (RCAR), compiled by the Intelligence and Analysis section of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in 2018, had showed that the number of asylum seekers from India had soared by more than 300 per cent during the previous two years, most of them were Punjabis, he said.

Talking to The Tribune, Canada’s first cabinet minister of Indian origin Herb Dhaliwal in March had said, “Most Sikhs in Canada don’t want Khalistan. The demand for Khalistan comes from small and insignificant groups that have their own purposes. I repeat — instead of Khalistan, there is a palpable demand for punishing those behind the 1984 riots. The wounds of the riots have not yet healed.”

Parmar went unpunished

Talwinder Singh Parmar, who was the alleged mastermind of the 1985 Air-India flight bombing which left 329 dead, was working openly against the interests of the country. He was not convicted.

Highly irresponsible

Highly irresponsible for Trudeau to make a statement without any evidence only because he was playing to vote bank gallery. Nijjar’s killing was result of factional feud within gurdwara management in Surrey. Capt Amarinder Singh, former CM

Will impact bilateral ties

I don’t know what provoked this announcement in (Canadian) parliament. Immediately, it will have an impact on mutual ties but I am sure better sense will prevail. AS Dulat, former RAW Chief

Come clean on allegations

I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come clean on the issue as the accusations by his Canadian counterpart have resulted in tarnishing the image of India. Daljit Singh Cheema, SAD

Country’s interests paramount

Country’s fight against terror has to be uncompromising, especially when it threatens India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity. Country’s interests and concerns must be kept paramount at all times. Jairam Ramesh, Congress