India-born member of Parliament in Canada Rameshwar Sangha on Friday said the non-resident Indians (NRIs) living in that country want change in the ruling dispensation in Punjab.
Sangha, a former Congress leader in Punjab who now represents the Liberal Party, had migrated to Canada around 20 years back. He is here to visit his relatives and friends, his first visit after becoming the MP. Born at Lesriwal village, on the outskirts of the city, Sangha practised as a lawyer in the Jalandhar district courts.
“For NRIs, it’s always very painful when we see poor governance and the mishandling of certain issues in Punjab. I am not blaming any political party for it as it does not fall in my domain. Since hearts of NRIs always beat for our motherland, we often raise concern over these issues during our meetings in Canada. It’s a general feeling among the NRIs that they want to see change in Punjab,” said the Canadian MP.
Sangha interacted with his old-time friend and Congress leader Manjinder Chaudhary under whose leadership he started his political career with the Congress. “Every political party enjoys good number of followers in Punjab. It is not any political party. We are of the view that sea changes in Punjab’s political and administrative system are the need of the hour,” said the MP, admitting that NRIs would have a big role to play in the assembly elections. Sangha had defeated a heavyweight candidate of the Conservative Party, former minister Bal Gosal, from the Brampton Central seat.
A matriculate from Arya School in Alawalpur town, Sangha had joined the Indian Air Force. He did graduation in law during his posting in Kanpur. As the Congress candidate in 1984, Sangha had defeated Akali stalwart and former MLA Kuldeep Singh Wadala in the elections for the director of the Central Co-operative Bank.
{{/usCountry}}A matriculate from Arya School in Alawalpur town, Sangha had joined the Indian Air Force. He did graduation in law during his posting in Kanpur. As the Congress candidate in 1984, Sangha had defeated Akali stalwart and former MLA Kuldeep Singh Wadala in the elections for the director of the Central Co-operative Bank.
{{/usCountry}}“All the newly elected Punjabi-origin MPs in Canada will extending a helping hand if the Punjab government asks for it,” said Sangha. He is one of those few Canadian-Punjabi politicians who visit their native places every year. “Even though after becoming MP my schedule has got busy motherland remains my first love,” said the MP.