AAP MLAs blame ‘communication gap’ on political activities for Canada entry denial

According to the Kotkapura MLA the immigration authorities were apprehensive that the two would undertake political activities during their stay in the country and that is not permitted by Canadian law. “I think there was some communication gap. We had applied for and got Canadian visa with our families. We were asked at the Ottawa airport why we had not come with our families. We tried to explain that the school holidays of the children were over but I think there was some miscommunication,” said Sandhwan. The MLA said they had not been deported from Canada as was being stated in a section of the media and that they had been denied entry due to technical reasons.

Ropar MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa also dismissed the reports that he had faced questions regarding his court case on molestation charges levelled against him. “I was not even asked about it. I was only asked about the family not being with me and the political meetings to be held. They said you return to India and come again with proper schedule so we came back,” he said. The MLA also denied that he had faced any charges regarding sexual molestation of a minor boy, an allegation levelled by a Ludhiana-based former AAP worker. The MLA said that they stated during the questioning that the visit was personal but it party workers would invite them meetings then they will be attend those as well.

Meanwhile, the separatist pro-Khalistan organisation, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), have appreciated the denial of entry of the two MLAs into Canada by the Canadian government. In a statement issued on email, the legal adviser of the organisation, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is facing a sedition case in Punjab, said that it is well documented that during 2017 Punjab elections, AAP had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from Canada in violation of the laws of the land. “We will make sure that Indian political parties are not allowed to raise funds in Canada for the upcoming 2019 Parliamentary elections”, he said.

Pannun said that in April 2016 SFJ had lodged a complaint with the Canadian Foreign Minister and blocked the visit of Arvind Kejriwal who was planning to visit as part of his election and fund raising campaign. Ex-AAP worker says he complained to Canadian authorities.

Dr Amandeep Singh Bains, a former AAP worker, on Monday claimed that it was he who had complained to the Canadian authorities about Ropar MLA Amarijit Singh Sandoa with regard to the allegations of molestation against him. Speaking to mediapersons in Ludhiana, Dr Bains said that he had reported the matter of allegations against Sandoa and that he was happy that the Canadians had verified the contents and thrown the MLA out. “Before the 2017 assembly elections we had approached AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal regarding the allegations against Sandoa but he did nothing. I am happy that some action has been taken against him now,” he said.