Canadian MP asks law enforcement agencies to take Khalistani violent extremism seriously
Ottawa (PTI): Khalistani violent extremism is a Canadian problem, a prominent Canadian MP of Indian origin has said, calling on the country's law enforcement agencies to take the issue with "all seriousness" it demands.
The remarks by Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament from Nepean in the House of Commons, came as he addressed the House on Wednesday.
"Khalistani violent extremism is a Canadian problem and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has said the national task force is focused on investigating it," Arya said.
He said everyone knows that extremism and terrorism don’t recognise and are not limited to national borders.
"I call on our law enforcement agencies to take this issue with all the seriousness it demands," he added.
Sharing his experience, Arya said a group of Khalistani protesters staged a disruptive demonstration against him while he was participating in a Hindu event in Edmonton two weeks ago.
Arya said he could safely attend the event only with the protection of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
"In Canada, we have long recognised and experienced the serious problem of Khalistani extremism," he said.
"Let me be clear. The sanctity of Canadian sovereignty is sacrosanct and any interference by foreign state actors within Canada, in any form, is unacceptable," he added.
The ties between India and Canada had come under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
India rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd" and "motivated".
India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.
Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia on June 18 last year. The murder is being probed by the RCMP.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
