Amarinder slams SFJ over cancellation of meetings in Canada

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today slammed rights group 'Sikhs for Justice' over the cancellation of his meetings in Canada, saying it had played into the hands of Pakistan's ISI by trying to abuse a law aimed at safeguarding human rights of Canadian citizens.
Amarinder was denied permission by the Canadian government to hold meetings with NRIs after SFJ moved a local court seeking a stay on his meetings there, over alleged atrocities committed during his tenure as chief minister in 2002-2007.
The Canadian government had invoked provisions of "Global Affairs Canada" policy that forbids foreign governments from conducting election campaigns there or establishing foreign political parties and movements in their country.

Amarinder urged Canadian authorities, both in government and judiciary, to ensure that law is not "misused and abused" for vested political interests by groups like the SFJ "whose anti-India credentials are too well-known".
"Otherwise this law will undermine and defeat the very purpose for which it has been enacted," he said.
Amarinder, who is in Chicago, urged the government of India to take up the matter of summoning of its leaders and public representatives by the courts in Canada, with the Canadian government.
"We just cannot be equated with dictatorships where there are no judicial systems and processes in place," he said in a statement, adding, "This involves the question of the sovereignty of a nation with such a strong and transparent judicial system in place and an insult to both (the sovereignty and judiciary)."

Amarinder rejected allegations levelled in the complaint lodged against him in a Canadian court by the SFJ that there were cases of torture of Canadian citizens during his chief ministership and that the police officials allegedly involved in such incidents had been promoted by him.