Jaitley condemning Ontario assembly’s anti-Sikh riots motion unfortunate: AAP - Hindustan Times
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Jaitley condemning Ontario assembly’s anti-Sikh riots motion unfortunate: AAP

Press Trust of India | ByPress Trust of India, Chandigarh
Apr 19, 2017 07:36 PM IST

The AAP also questioned the “silence” of the Akalis on the matter.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it is “unfortunate” that defence minister Arun Jaitley, at a meeting with his Canadian counterpart Harjit Singh Sajjan, has condemned the passing of a motion in the Ontario legislative assembly which describes the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as “genocide”.

Aam Aadmi Party leader HS Phoolka(HT File Photo)
Aam Aadmi Party leader HS Phoolka(HT File Photo)

The party also questioned the “silence” of the Akalis on the matter.

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Arun Jaitley had on Tuesday strongly raised with Sajjan India’s “anguish” over the Ontario assembly the passage of motion, saying it triggered outrage in India and it was a total exaggeration of facts.

AAP’s Punjab leader HS Phoolka said, “It is unfortunate that Jaitley condemned the passage of the motion. The Ontario assembly has rightly declared the killing of the Sikhs in 1984 as genocide.”

“Why are the Akali Dal, an alliance partner in the BJP-led central government, and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal silent on the issue? It is shocking and surprising,” the Opposition leader said in the Punjab assembly.

Phoolka claimed that the “silence” of the Akalis and Harsimrat is “supporting” the Congress and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh’s move to stall the declaration of the killing of Sikhs in the 1984 riots as “genocide”.

“Amarinder’s barb against the Canadian defence minister was aimed at stalling the Canadian parliament from declaring the November 1984 killings as genocide,” he alleged.

“This motion will put pressure on the Indian government to punish the Congress leaders guilty in the anti-Sikh riots, he said.

Ahead of the Canadian defence minister’s visit, the Punjab chief minister had said he would not meet Sajjan and described him as a “Khalistani sympathiser”.

Meanwhile, welcoming Sajjan’s visit to Punjab, Phoolka said, “Sajjan has made the Punjabis proud by securing high post in the government of Canada. So it is the duty of every Punjabi to welcome him during his visit.”

Phoolka said he invited Sajjan for a formal meeting with the AAP MLAs but due to shortage of time and pre-scheduled programmes, the Canadian minister was unable to meet the AAP legislators.

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