India to Canada: Bring Dollars Not Guns

India's minister of Industry and commerce, Kamal Nath has called upon Canada for greater investment and participation in India's booming economy. Canada has not benefited from India's burgeoning market so far, but the prospects are getting better by the day. Indian companies have already started to invest in Canada in natural resources, IT, energy and other industries. Several Canadian companies like Sun Life, Bombadier, Aecon and Bata have been in India for long years and others are starting to follow.

Canada also got a slight in the media connected to the terror bombing in Ludhiana, Punjab. A statement released by the Punjab Police takes a swipe at Canada, that all media groups carried.

The Quick Reaction Team, an elite force of the Chandigarh police is now tackling terrorist activities fuelled and funded by groups abroad.

The Dixie Gurudwara in Canada has been a hub of pro-Khalistan elements for over a decade now. The support often translating into monetary help for terrorists.So the whole of Punjab was taken aback when Amarinder Singh on an official visit as Chief Minister in 2005 chose to address a gathering at this gurudwara.

''The whole world knew that terrorists get shelter in that gurdwara and it's being run by terrorists. When Amarinder was delivering his speech there, the slogan Khalistan zindabad was visible in the backdrop. The slogan essentially meant Punjab should be separated from India,'' said M S Bitta, Chairman, All India Anti Terrorist Front.

Support to Sikh terrorists from Canadian groups has been widely covered by National media in both countries but there seems to be no change in attitude from certain segments. It also well known that some MP's and MPP's are known to be sympatetic to separatists groups that advocate the creation of a Sikh home land from India.

Canada allowing itself to be launching pad for separatists movement for ethnic groups and watching them hail terrorists as hero's is going to hurt Canada in the long run in the eyes of the world.

Peaceful quest for democracy in a country where that ethnic group is deprived of human rights is something we should support , like in Burma, Tibet, but turning a blind eye to violent movement for political gains is against the fundamental values of Canada. All political parties do it to get a share of ethnic votes including the Conservatives.