*AMRITSAR: *Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday sought todispel perceptions his administration is too close to Sikh separatists,officials said, a controversy that has overshadowed his trip to India.
Trudeau’s visit has been dogged by claims he has been snubbed by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, who has been notably absent since his Canadiancounterpart touched down in India on Saturday evening.
Indian and Canadian media said Modi has sidestepped Trudeau over hisadministration’s perceived support for Sikh separatists, who want aindependent state of Khalistan carved out of Punjab.
Canada is home to roughly half a million Sikhs and Trudeau’s administrationhas been accused of being too cosy with those who appear to back Sikhgroups calling for independence.
Trudeau particularly riled New Delhi last year when he attended a parade inCanada at which Sikh militants were feted as heroes.
The prime minister on Wednesday visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar theholiest site in Sikhism, and the scene of a bloody showdown between Indianforces and Sikh militants in 1984.
He also met Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who said Trudeau offeredhis “categorical assurance” that Canada did not sympathise the separatistmovement.
“His words are a big relief to all of us here in India and we look forwardto his government’s support in tackling fringe separatist elements,” Singhposted on Twitter alongside photos of him shaking hands with Trudeau’syoungest son Hadrien.
Singh’s spokesman Raveen Thukral said the chief minister handed Trudeau alist of Canada based Sikhs suspected of providing material support toseparatists in Punjab, a border state in India’s northwest.
Trudeau’s defence minister Harjit Sajjan, a Sikh, also joined the meetingwith the chief minister. Singh last year refused to meet him, describingSajjan as a “Khalistani sympathiser”.
There is speculation that Trudeau is being given the cold shoulder by NewDelhi.
Modi often meets heads of government at the airport with bear hugs andcheerful photo-ops, but a junior minister was rolled out to meet Trudeauand his family.
District officials greeted the family at the Taj Mahal and in Modi’s homestate of Gujarat, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was lastmonth personally escorted by the Indian leader.
Modi, who has 40.4 million Twitter followers, has also yet to tweet awelcome message to Trudeau as is his custom for other leaders.
The nationalist Hindu premier shared a photo of him meeting IranianPresident Hassan Rouhani the same day that Trudeau landed.
Modi and Trudeau are scheduled to meet on Friday in New Delhi. – APP/AFP