chief
Prime VIP
To call on visiting PM today
Chandigarh, June 27
Five times Canadian MP Gurbax Singh Malhi not only wants India to make the ‘blacklist’ of Sikhs public but also initiate action against the perpetrators of the Kanishka tragedy under various international laws.
Malhi, who represents the main Opposition party, Liberals, in the House of Commons, is scheduled to call on the visiting Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, tomorrow. He is expected to raise a series of issues with the Indian PM.
Interacting with The Tribune online, Malhi maintains that the Punjabi community in Canada feels aggrieved due to a so-called ‘blacklist’, the shadow of which lingers upon every settler here when he thinks of visiting India. “He is haunted by the treatment likely to be meted out to him at the airports in India, of being harassed or even asked to go back.
“I suggest that the names in the ‘blacklist’ be made public. Those who are wanted in India in any activity amounting to an offence may be subjected to the extradition proceedings, pursuant to the year 1987 extradition treaty signed between India and Canada. Further, the names of people not involved in any criminal activity be removed from the ‘blacklist’, so that innocent people can visit their home country without any fear,” adds Malhi.
He also maintains that the Air India tragedy of 1985 still haunts every Sikh in Canada as a suspect and party to it. “We want this matter to be clarified in an effective way. We feel India had the same powers and the jurisdiction under the International Law to commence proceedings in India and bring the perpetrators to justice, by way of an independent inquiry, investigation or trial, towards which direction India has not taken a single step. Commission after commission in Canada has only scratched the old wounds of the victims’ families besides putting the entire Sikh community on the suspect list that we want to be cleared as early as possible. A step in this direction will help the entire community re-gain its self pride and redress feelings of the injured.
Gurbax Malhi also wants the Indian government to fast track the delivery of justice and compensate the families of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Other issues being raised by him are artifacts taken away from the Golden Temple complex during Operation Bluestar to be returned, properties of Punjab NRIs be provided legal protection through legislation, take necessary steps to prevent fraud marriages, take steps and sign old-age security treaty with Canada so that those old people who come to Canada can benefit from old-age security in the new country of their abode and prevent misuse of the provisions of proclaimed offenders laws against the NRIs.
Chandigarh, June 27
Five times Canadian MP Gurbax Singh Malhi not only wants India to make the ‘blacklist’ of Sikhs public but also initiate action against the perpetrators of the Kanishka tragedy under various international laws.
Malhi, who represents the main Opposition party, Liberals, in the House of Commons, is scheduled to call on the visiting Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, tomorrow. He is expected to raise a series of issues with the Indian PM.
Interacting with The Tribune online, Malhi maintains that the Punjabi community in Canada feels aggrieved due to a so-called ‘blacklist’, the shadow of which lingers upon every settler here when he thinks of visiting India. “He is haunted by the treatment likely to be meted out to him at the airports in India, of being harassed or even asked to go back.
“I suggest that the names in the ‘blacklist’ be made public. Those who are wanted in India in any activity amounting to an offence may be subjected to the extradition proceedings, pursuant to the year 1987 extradition treaty signed between India and Canada. Further, the names of people not involved in any criminal activity be removed from the ‘blacklist’, so that innocent people can visit their home country without any fear,” adds Malhi.
He also maintains that the Air India tragedy of 1985 still haunts every Sikh in Canada as a suspect and party to it. “We want this matter to be clarified in an effective way. We feel India had the same powers and the jurisdiction under the International Law to commence proceedings in India and bring the perpetrators to justice, by way of an independent inquiry, investigation or trial, towards which direction India has not taken a single step. Commission after commission in Canada has only scratched the old wounds of the victims’ families besides putting the entire Sikh community on the suspect list that we want to be cleared as early as possible. A step in this direction will help the entire community re-gain its self pride and redress feelings of the injured.
Gurbax Malhi also wants the Indian government to fast track the delivery of justice and compensate the families of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Other issues being raised by him are artifacts taken away from the Golden Temple complex during Operation Bluestar to be returned, properties of Punjab NRIs be provided legal protection through legislation, take necessary steps to prevent fraud marriages, take steps and sign old-age security treaty with Canada so that those old people who come to Canada can benefit from old-age security in the new country of their abode and prevent misuse of the provisions of proclaimed offenders laws against the NRIs.
