Speaker writes to Swaraj, seeks action

SAYS RUDE BEHAVIOUR SHOWN TO PUNJAB MLAS BY CANADA IS UNBECOMING; URGES MINISTER TO TAKE UP MATTER WITH CANADA

Punjab assembly speaker Rana KP Singh has written to Union minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj seeking action after two members of Punjab assembly — Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Amarjit Singh Sandoa of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), were refused entry into Canada.

The speaker wrote: “All legislative bodies of India and Canada are branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and members of the legislative bodies in both the countries are members of CPA. Though we strive for increasing CPA activities like brotherhood, mutual understanding and cooperation, exchange of experiences and improving ties between members of legislative bodies of both the countries, our MLAs were treated differently and humiliated.”

He said when the public representatives had disclosed their identity at the Ottawa airport, the Canadian authorities must have facilitated them, as they had a valid visa. “The rude and discourteous behaviour shown to the Punjab MLAs by the Canadian authorities is unbecoming and the Indian government does not allow such type of treatment to public representatives of Canada or other countries when they come to visit India.”

Seeking appropriate action, Rana KP urged Swaraj to take cognisance of the incident and take up the matter with the appropriate authorities of the Canadian government to avoid such “humiliating” incidents in future.