Keep check on Khalistani forces: Capt to Trudeau
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said on Friday that he had no objection to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visiting Punjab but urged him to keep a check on pro-Khalistani elements operating from Canada.
“Trudeau is welcome but we will not be cowed down by the threats of forces such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ),” the CM said while responding to questions at an event organised by English daily in New Delhi.
To a question if opening of the Indo-Pak border would benefit Punjab, the CM said he hopes that his dream of having dinner in Lahore (Pakistan) and lunch in Amritsar (India) would become a reality one day.
“The problem lies at the government level, but people of both countries welcome each other with open arms,” he said.
The CM said the state government would dedicate the 1947 Partition Museum to the nation in August this year.
When quizzed on the Congress’ opposition to the Goods and Service tax (GST), Amarinder said the party was not in favour of multiple slabs and wanted to cap it at 18% with a maximum of two slabs. However, the central government had gone in for multiple slaps with a cap of 48%, he said.
On farm debt waiver, the CM said lack of support from the Centre prevented the cash-strapped state government from waiving the entire debt of ₹69,000 crore.
On the mining auction controversy revolving around power minister Rana Gurjit, the CM said his government would not succumb to media trial and opposition pressure but would wait for the panels set up to probe the matter. “If Rana Gurjit is found guilty, he will not remain a minister, but it would not be justified to sack him without a fair trial,” he said.