Ottawa: Khalistani violent extremism is a Canadian problem, a prominent Canadian MP of Indian origin has said, calling on the country's law enforcement agencies to take the issue with "all seriousness" it demands. The remarks by Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament from Nepean in the House of Commons, came as he addressed the House on Wednesday.
"Khalistani violent extremism is a Canadian problem and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has said the national task force is focused on investigating it," Arya said. He said everyone knows that extremism and terrorism don’t recognise and are not limited to national borders. "I call on our law enforcement agencies to take this issue with all the seriousness it demands," he added.
Sharing his experience, Arya said a group of Khalistani protesters staged a disruptive demonstration against him while he was participating in a Hindu event in Edmonton two weeks ago. Arya said he could safely attend the event only with the protection of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). "In Canada, we have long recognised and experienced the serious problem of Khalistani extremism," he said.
"Let me be clear. The sanctity of Canadian sovereignty is sacrosanct and any interference by foreign state actors within Canada, in any form, is unacceptable," he added. The ties between India and Canada had come under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
India rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd" and "motivated". India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity. Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia on June 18 last year. The murder is being probed by the RCMP.
