Chandigarh, Punjab/India (January 12, 2013): As per recent media reports visiting Canadian Minister Jason Kenney told reporters in Chandigarh that Sikhs in Canada raising their voice peacefully for separate Sikh state named “Khalisthan” out of India, will not be asked to leave Canada.
Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism (Canada)
Canada’s Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney is visiting Chandigarh and he said this while addressing press conference in Chandigarh.
“Members of Sikh community could raise their voice peacefully while living in Canada as there is nothing wrong in it since they are doing within the law frame”, Kenney reportedly said.
“The Canadian government would not review their immigration status or disturb their residency status since they are not disturbing the law and order,” he added.
As per a news report published by “Indian Express” (IE): “He, however, said that if anybody was found involved in any act of terrorism or raising funds for terrorist activities then the government would definitely take action against them followed by their deportation”.
It is notable that Indian investigative and intelligence agencies as well as the Indian government has been raising “concerns” over the rise of political awareness among Sikhs in Europe, Canada and United States. India terms such awareness as “rise in Sikh extremism” in European and Western countries.
Indian media and Government representatives/officials had created the havoc of rise of “Sikh extremists” in Canada when Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper was visiting Indian few months back. But PM Harper had recognized the right of Canadian Sikhs to raise their political concern or propagate the idea of separate Sikh state often named as “Khalistan” peacefully.