Worried about anti-Sikh developments in Canada, Australia, UK, says SGPC | Amritsar News
The SGPC’s statement comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked ‘agents’ of the Indian government to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June
In a video statement, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said, “Sikhs have made their place in India and abroad through hard work. We have been hearing some concerning news. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made the statement that there is Indian involvement in the murder of Sikh leader and Gurudwara president Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”
He continued, “Secondly, Australian police have clarified that people associated with the temple were involved in the incidents of writing Khalistan slogans on the walls of a Hindu temple in Brisbane. They (the police) have used the word that Hindus were involved in this. It is worrisome. An Australian police officer has said that cameras were turned off just before the slogans were written.”
Tension rose among the Indian community in Australia after a few anti-India graffiti attacks on Hindu temples were reported in the country earlier this year. India had asked Australia to curb the anti-India activities of pro-Khalistan elements and also attacks on the Hindu temples. Australia’s Queensland state police released documents of its investigation into the defacement of a Brisbane temple’s outer wall in March.
“Thirdly, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asked India about the arrest of Jagtar Singh Jaggi Johal, but there has been no answer from India. These are news items that have worried us,” said Grewal while adding that such news reports suggest that there has been a challenge to the position Sikhs have earned.
British national and Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Jaggi Johal has been jailed in India since 2017 under terror charges and the UK has raised the demand for his release to the Indian government. SGPC has also demanded the release of Johal who is imprisoned on suspicion of being involved in the targeted killings by the banned Khalistani Liberation Force (KLF).
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Grewal also mentioned the “competitions between the Tiranga and Khalistan flags” in foreign countries.
“Hate is being spread. We had already mentioned that some agencies have been playing mischief to defame Sikhs,” he said.
Grewal said the SGPC is worried about the developments.
“Some incidents were already happening in the country, and now they have also been happening on foreign soil. We are concerned about the revelations made by foreign countries. We would like Sikhs in India and abroad to take it seriously,” said Grewal, adding that the SGPC would write to the central government on the matter.
“We also want to say to Sikhs that they should also take care of the trend to label Sikhs as separatists, terrorists, traitors, and work to stop it. They should think about how this should be tackled,” said the SGPC general secretary.
