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Calgary Herald

Sikh groups call on MPs to denounce Carney's G7 invitation to Modi

OTTAWA — A group of Canadian Sikh organizations is calling on members of Parliament to denounce Prime Minister Mark Carney's invitation to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to next week's G7 leaders' meeting. Article content The open letter comes after Carney defended the invitation to Modi last Friday, saying it was important to have India at the table, given that it represents the world's fifth-largest economy, is essential to supply chains, and now boasts the world's largest population. Article content Article content Article content 'Carney's decision is not merely a diplomatic miscalculation,' reads the letter, released Monday. Article content Article content 'It is a direct insult to the Sikh community and a grave threat to the integrity of Canada's institutions.' Article content Signatories included the World Sikh Organization, the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council and Sikh Federation, as well as the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and the Quebec Sikh Council. Article content The statements follows comments on Friday by Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal, who represents the Surrey, B.C., riding where Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside of a temple in June 2023, that he was concerned by the invitation extended to Modi and planned to raise it with Carney this week. Dhaliwal said he had received dozens of calls and more than 100 emails from constituents expressing concern about Modi's attendance at the summit. Article content Article content The groups cite the statement made by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2023 that Canada had 'credible allegations' that India's government was involved in the death of Nijjar. Article content That accusation sent shockwaves through Canada and resulted in a souring of relations with India, which denied the allegations. Article content India had regarded Nijjar as a terrorist. He was a prominent activist in the Khalistan movement, which pushes for a separate Sikh state to be created in India's Punjab province. Article content Four Indian nationals have been charged in his death. Article content Last fall, further tension was inserted into the Canada-India relationship when the RCMP went public with a statement that it believed India's government to be involved in violence unfolding in Canada, from murder to criminal gangs.