Canadian Sikh leader says won’t attend rallies that promote violence

TORONTO: It was another day and another position taken by Jagmeet Singh, the charismatic leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP). In the midst of a storm over videos of him speaking at a pair of events advocating Khalistan, Singh told reporters in Ottawa he will not attend rallies that promote violence.

But he reiterated his position that he would “unequivocally” defend the right of people to seek self-governance.

He said, “I support the right to talk about self-determination, whether it’s in Scotland, whether it’s in Catalonia, whether it’s in India. I support that right, unequivocally.”

Following the NDP’S caucus meeting in the Canadian capital, Singh was quoted as saying that “if an event promotes violence, I do not accept that. I do not accept violence. Political violence is not something that is acceptable”.

However, he couched it with the proviso that he would shun such rallies if he knew “ahead of time” that someone at the event would be “on stage advocating political violence”.

This statement came after pressure was mounted on Singh from MPS of his own party who weren’t satisfied with his previous response that he would continue to attend such rallies.

But he still has no problem with those pursuing a separatist agenda as long as they do so peacefully, as he told reporters: “I absolutely draw a distinction between political violence and someone advocating for independence or self-determination.”