Jalandhar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body of Sikhs in India, on Monday (September 25) expressed serious concern over the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic row and said that the statement of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the country’s parliament cannot be understood as “common”, and both countries should find ways to probe the allegations amicably. The statement indicates the sentiment among SGPC members that the Indian side may have handled Trudeau’s allegations irresponsibly.Expressing concern over Trudeau’s allegations of the involvement of Indian agencies in the killing of pro-Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the SGPC in its executive meeting passed a special resolution on the ongoing India-Canada row.In the special resolution, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “Everything said by PM Justin Trudeau in the Canadian parliament cannot be rejected easily. …a sincere approach should be followed by both the countries to sort out this matter.”Dhami said that if this case was suppressed only because of politics, it would be considered as injustice to human rights. “The truth of the allegations made by the [Canadian] PM against the Indian agencies should be brought to light before the public,” he added.The resolution strongly condemned the propaganda being spread by the mainstream media and various social media platforms against Sikhs and the state of Punjab. “It was observed that in the wake of the India-Canada standoff, the mainstream media was deliberately indulging in the character assassination of the Sikhs. We demand serious action from the Indian government against those who are tarnishing the image of the Sikh community,” the resolution said.Reacting to the SGPC’s special resolution, former president of the SGPC and its first ever woman chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, told The Wire that Punjabis’ stakes were high in Canada. “Since lakhs of Punjabis are settled in Canada, any further deterioration of India-Canada relations would adversely affect both the countries. It is the common Punjabis, the students, working class and the elderly in Canada, who would face trouble if the India-Canada standoff does not come to an end soon. India and Canada should seriously think over this diplomatic row,” she said.Kaur said that every Sikh was not a Khalistani or a terrorist. “The actions of a few cannot define the entire Sikh community. No Sikh or for that matter a Punjabi would ever indulge in humiliating or defaming any community. The Indian government should rein in the loud mouth and inflammatory mainstream media, as many were hurting the sentiments of Sikhs. We welcome fact-based news but mainstream news channels are crossing the line,” she added.India does not belong to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone, it belongs to everybody, she continued. “We feel equally concerned over allegations against the Sikh community and terming them as Khalistanis. The Indian government should understand that such actions would lead to mistrust in the government. The Modi government should assure people that they are for the public and not against them,” she said.Further, on the reports of some people trying to create a divide by intimidating Hindus in Canada, SGPC chief Dhami clarified that the Sikh community respects all religions and does not hold enmity against anyone. “Some people were using the current situation as a weapon to create divisions among communities, which should be stopped immediately. The Central government should look into this matter. Appropriate steps should be taken to end the growing mistrust among the Sikhs,” the SGPC chief said.Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, the granddaughter of Master Tara Singh, who was one of the founder members of the SGPC, said that India has handled the India-Canada’s diplomatic row irresponsibly and immaturely. “The fact is that most Sikhs left for Canada post Operation Bluestar and during militancy to save their lives. Following the India-Canada row, the general sentiment among Sikhs in Canada is that if they are not safe even after leaving Punjab, then where could they consider themselves as safe,” she said, adding that if the Indian government stops giving hype to US-based Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, his identity in Punjab and across the world would be that of a nobody.Kiranjot Kaur also said everybody talks about Operation Bluestar but nobody talks about Operation Woodrose, when the Army, police and the CRPF cracked down on every single house and village in Punjab during militancy. “They picked up young college and school going boys. If the Indian mainstream media was raking up the Khalistani narrative, it was because the Modi government was agreeing to it. Also, the mainstream media connects the demand of Khalistan with Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale but the fact is that he never even demanded it. It is the Indian government and its ‘keyboard warriors’, who are building this narrative,” she added.The senior SGPC member also pointed out that when a crime takes place in other states, the accused are termed as ‘gangsters’ but in case of Punjab, they are directly called ‘Khalistanis’. “Then the Modi government says that they face resistance in Punjab. If the government will continue with the policy of repression, they will face resistance from Punjab and Sikhs,” she said.Another SGPC member, Kulwant Singh Mannan, who is currently in Vancouver, said that contrary to reports fuelling confusion and fear, everything was normal in Canada. “People were busy in their jobs and there is absolutely no threat to any community, particularly the Hindus. There is no such issue in Canada. All communities whether Sikhs or Hindus are living in harmony. It is highly unfortunate and deeply worrying that India’s mainstream TV news channels are creating an atmosphere of fear everywhere,” he said.On the diplomatic row, Mannan said that Trudeau spoke of Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a Canadian citizen. “Let us not forget that India and Canada have always shared friendly relations. Canada has elevated the lives of people who moved there from Punjab. It is very important that both nations tackle this matter sensitively,” he said.Earlier, the SGPC also held an online meeting of the International Sikh Advisory Board constituted by the SGPC in which representatives from the US, UK and Canada participated. The meeting assumed significance as it took place in the backdrop of the India-Canada standoff.During the meeting, the global concerns of the Sikh community were discussed. Bhai Mohinder Singh, the head of Guru Nanak Nishkam Seva Jatha UK, and Bibi Inderjit Kaur of Sikh Dharma International US emphasised the need for special efforts to organise Sikhs across the entire world.It was also discussed that every Gurdwara in the world should be associated with Sri Akal Takht Sahib and an agenda should be prepared for the needs, problems and tasks of Sikhs in today’s global context.SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, who led this meeting, said that the International Sikh Advisory Board was constituted to address the global affairs of Sikhs, and its meetings would continue and suggestions received will be considered.