AMRITSAR: Ahead of Canada’s federal elections , a section of Sikh community, seeking Punjab’s secession from India, have begun ‘Prove it or Remove it’ campaign to pressurize the Canadian government for removal of Sikh (Khalistani) extremism component from 2018 ‘Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada’.

Khalistan proponents who had supported Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led Liberal Party have threatened not to support the incumbents if the Sikh (Khalistani) extremism component is not withdrawn.

Sikh population of around 5 lakh constitutes a little over 1% of Canada’s total population, but 12% of Trudeau’s cabinet comes from the minority community.

While talking to TOI, Sukhminder Singh Hansra, a Canadian Sikh and known Khalistani campaigner, claimed that there was no evidence of Sikhs backing the extremism so they had launched ‘Prove it or Remove it’ campaign. He said he didn’t find any reason for the government to not to remove the paragraph from the report. However on voting for the Liberals, he replied “A public meeting will decide next course of action.”

In the recently released report, Canadian agencies had expressed concern over pro-Khalistani Sikhs in Canada and admitted that some individuals in Canada continue to support Sikh (Khalistani) extremist ideologies and movements. The report had also mentioned the 1985 Air India bombing which claimed 331 lives. Barring that though, the report did not point to any recent incident of violence or terrorism of this nature in Canada.

A section of Sikh leadership in Canada had also sought appointment with Canada’s public safety minister Ralph Goodale asking for an appointment but till date the meeting had not taken place.

“Meeting was never scheduled. Two dates were indicated. If our government says to meet, they will meet,” Hansra said. When asked about coming to Punjab, he replied, ““Coming to battle field to fight is an old school thought. The fight is fought very effectively from far.”

