PM asks Sikh community in Canada to remain united

Prime minister Manmohan Singh today asked the five-million strong Sikh community in Canada to remain united and not to allow the "divisive" politics of the Indian subcontinent to derail their
cohesiveness.

Speaking to journalists accompanying him on his return from Toronto, Singh said when he met Canadian parliamentarians
belonging to the Indian diaspora, he complimented them with
regard to the achievements of the members of the Indian-origin
communities and the niche they had carved out for themselves
in the Canadian public life, economy and in public services.

"So it was an attempt on my part to tell them that we in India take great pride in their achievements and that the community should remain united."

"It should not allow the divisive politics of our subcontinent to derail the cohesiveness that is necessary to ensure that the Indian communities continue to get their due share in the Canadian set up," he said.

Singh was asked about his interaction with the diaspora and attempts by some sections in the Sikh community which have campaigned for declaring the 1984 riots as "genocide".

Canada has about five million Sikhs and they are the single-largest minority community there.

Singh had yesterday told Canada and the Sikh community that the Canadian soil should not be allowed to be used for promoting extremism against India.

Singh, himself a Sikh, had said he was of the "fervent hope" that the community would not allow its religious institutions and other places to encourage extremism.