India has responded to Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolly’s comment on the ongoing action regarding the arrest of Amritpal Singh, head of pro-Khalistan organization ‘Waris Punjab De’ in Punjab. India has said that foreigners are requested not to fall prey to false statements being shared by some elements on social media.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a media briefing, ‘I have seen the comment of the Foreign Minister of Canada in the context of parliamentary discussion. Authorities in Punjab are taking action to nab the fugitive (Amritpal Singh). The concerned authorities of Punjab are sharing information about that operation on a regular basis. We would urge people abroad not to fall prey to false and motivated statements being circulated by certain elements on social media.
What did the Canadian Foreign Minister say
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolly, while answering a question of Indian-origin Canadian MP Ikvinder S. Gahir in the House on Thursday, said, ‘We are aware of the situation in Punjab and we are following it very closely. We hope that the situation will get better. We will continue to address the concerns of many members of the community (Sikh community), you can count on us.
Remarks by Prime Minister Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also commented on the situation in Punjab on Wednesday in response to a question by New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh in the House. He had said, ‘Canada is closely monitoring the situation in Punjab. We hope that the situation will be normal soon.
Jagmeet Singh had made several tweets on March 18 questioning the ongoing action regarding the arrest of Amritpal Singh. Jagmeet Singh alleged that the Government of India is violating the rights of its citizens.
Jagmeet Singh wrote, ‘The rights of citizens are being violated and internet has been shut down in Punjab. I am calling on the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau to talk to their Indian counterparts and share this concern with them regarding civil rights abuses and the safety of Canadians living abroad.
However, Jagmeet Singh’s Twitter account was suspended after this tweet.