Visiting Canada PM Justin Trudeau tries hard to avoid confronting Punjab CM over Khalistan

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday arrived in India for a week-long visit, during which he will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on wide-ranging issues, including defence and counter-terror cooperation.

The Canadian PM however will not meet Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh when he visits the Golden Temple in Amritsar on February 21. "We have nothing planned with him at this time," Canada’s state news channel Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) quoted a senior Canadian official as saying on the eve of Trudeau’s visit.

The Congress leader had last year refused a meeting with visiting Canadian defence minister Harjit Sajjan, alleging that he and several other members of the Trudeau cabinet symathised with the cause of separate Sikh homeland of Khalistan. The liberal leader himself has been a regular at rallies back home which have featured Khalistani flags and insignia, and witnessed the chanting of pro-Khalistani slogans.

Canada’s minister of infrastructure Amarjeet Sohi, who is part of Trudeau’s delegation, was also in the firing line of the Punjab CM last year. Earlier this month, Singh had told news magazine Outlook that there seemed to be “evidence” linking members of the Trudeau cabinet to the Khalistani movement.

According to a report in the Print, Singh had sought a meeting with the Canadian leader to discuss the support among Canada’s Sikh community for Khalistan. Citing sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the article noted that the Punjab CM wished to discuss how Khalistani sympathisers were trying to destablise the state of Punjab.

Not only the Congress leader, Trudeau’s apparent support to pro-Khalistani groups has also been a cause of concern in the Modi government. Last year in July, the issue had cropped up when Trudeau met PM Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg.

Trudeau’s visit didn’t start on as grand a note as the tours of the Israeli PM or several other world leaders who have visited India in the past, some of who have been personally received by PM Modi upon their arrival.

The Canadian liberal heraththrob was received by MoS Agriculture Gajendra Shekhwat, hinting towards a low-key reception.

What’s on the agenda

Besides Amritsar, Trudeau, accompanied by his wife and three children, will also visit Agra, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Officials said Trudeau’s visit to Gujarat will be the first by a Canadian prime minister. “Wheels up for India and a busy visit, focused on creating good jobs and strengthening the deep connection between the people of our two countries,” Trudeau had tweeted on Friday before embarking on the trip.

During his visit, Trudeau will interact with business leaders, representatives of the film industry and students. Trudeau is scheduled to visit Taj Mahal on 18 February. He will be in Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad the next day. He will go to Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar and participate in an event at IIM-Ahmedabad.

On 20 February, he will hold meetings with top business leaders and meet representatives of the Indian film industry in Mumbai. On 21 February, the Canadian prime minister will visit Golden Temple in Amritsar and return to Delhi the same day. Trudeau is scheduled to visit Jama Masjid and a cricket ground in New Delhi on 22 February besides delivering a lecture at a gathering of Canadian and Indian business leaders.

He will hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Modi on 23 February and address a conference of young change-makers on 24 February.

The people-to-people ties between India and Canada have been on an upswing. Approximately 1.4 million Canadians are of Indian heritage and India is Canada’s second largest source of immigrants.

With agency inputs.