Khalistanis Protest High Commissioner Speaking At Trade Forum
India-West News Desk
SURREY, BC – Sikh activists gathered outside the Sheraton Guildford Hotel here on the evening of March 1 to protest the presence of Sanjay Kumar Verma, India’s High Commissioner to Canada. Verma was attending a trade forum hosted by the Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) as the event’s keynote speaker.
Over 60 demonstrators waved yellow Khalistan flags and chanted slogans denouncing the Indian diplomat’s attendance.
Anita Huberman, president, and CEO of SBOT, told CBC News that she received numerous messages urging her to cancel the event. However, she emphasized that the focus was solely on economic opportunities between Canada and India. CBC said Huberman explained that the purpose of the event was to explore avenues for increased economic engagement between the two countries.
Verma, during the forum, emphasized the importance of trade ties between India and Canada. According to statistics from the B.C. government, India is B.C.’s fifth-largest trade partner, with both countries engaging in record-high imports and exports totaling nearly $20 billion in goods and services in 2022.
In an interview with CBC News after the event, Verma urged protesters to express their concerns “with civility.” He emphasized not disrupting the significant India-Canada relationship, stating that it is too substantial to be disrupted by such protests.
The secessionist group Sikhs for Justice or SFJ had threatened to “target” Verma ahead of his first visit to Surrey.
This demonstration is the latest in a series of protests by Khalistan supporters across Canada since the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani, which the country has said was perpetrated by India.
Anil
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Sikhs want a country carved out of India that gave them refuge when they were thrown out of Pakistan, which now happens to own two thirds of what used to be Punjab;
Punjab had no more than 10% Sikhs at any point in history and they would like to own the state. Imagine Mexico claiming what used to be theirs in the USA because Mexican are more than 10% in each of the states.
Punjab had over 95% Hindus living in Punjab in the year1300. Why are Sikhs claiming Punjab?
March 4, 2024Daljit (Dean)Singh
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Mr. Anil’s message is a pure gobbledygook. It does not make any sense whatsoever. The real issue is not any physical separation of Sikhs from India. They are part of it. They are like chocolate in a marble cake. You cannot separate it from the vanilla part. The major issue is the lack of fair treatment of Sikhs by government regimes in India before and after the partition. They were seldom given a fair shake. The outflow of money from Punjab has always been more than the inflow of money from the Central government. They were not only deprived of their rightful claims to their self-earned capital but psychologically tortured by the majority governments. To this day, you hear more Sikh jokes in India than anywhere else in the world against national minorities. In India, it has become a pastime in schools and colleges for students to congregate and participate in telling Sikh jokes. Considering all this, there is a legitimate cry for justice, not for the separation, but for respect for diversity. equity, and inclusion of Sikhs in India.
March 4, 2024Stephen stephen
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Hello Daljit Singh
March 4, 2024If you feel that Sikhs were psychologically tortured by the majority governments then that majority government was congress which is ruling the Punjab state. Congress was the party which ruled India majority of time and did nothing for Punjab nor for any other state. They were busy Making and hoarding money in Swiss Banks.
As far as the jokes are concerned, I am sorry to say that Sikhs are not the only to get the brunt of h
The jokes , but Gujjus and Biharis and Malluus too have equal fIr amount of jokes. They are to be taken lightly and enjoyed and one should be able to laugh at themselves.
Sikhs are one of the nicest people. They are large hearted, hardworking and they know how to give. Please go to Lunger and see how they feed people without any difference between rich and poor.
Shoorveer Tyagi
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I totally agree with Mr Daljeet. Present regime is investing mostly in Gujarat and UP and not in punjab.
March 4, 2024Babloo Ramisetty
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These are not Skih activists, as you report. These are separatists motivated by misguided agendas, Indiawest must refrain from aligning these anti-Canada/anti-India groups to Sikh activism. Most of these groups are polarized and funded by entities that are not bold enough to be visible.
March 7, 2024