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WSO condemns aggravating
spiritual deficit
WSN
Network
OTTAWA: The
World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) has expressed serious
concern and disappointment over Canadian immigration's new
discriminatory approach towards visiting Sikh preachers.
Since there is
virtually no Sikh seminary in Canada,
all Sikh Gurdwaras have to rely on groups of hymn singers (Raagis)
and preachers (granthis etc) who are visiting from India
on short visits.
This long
established practice is now being subjected to offensive and
unacceptable new questioning and arbitrary delays and denials by
Canadian Immigration personnel.
Groups that have
visited Canada, the United States and other western countries on
several occasions in the past are now being grilled with an
extensive new questionnaire that includes highly offensive issues
like asking them if they are members of Al-Qaida.
WSO Canada
President Gurpreet Singh Bal asked, "Since when have Sikhs been
associated with Al-Qaida? Immigration Department has all the
information pertaining to groups that have visited Canada
before. Needless interrogation of such groups and arbitrary denial
of visas is a totally avoidable disruption that hinders Gurdwaras'
ability to provide spiritual and religious services to Canadian Sikh
community."
The Sikh
community of Canada is very concerned about Immigration officials
asking the applicant groups if they have preached in the district of
Amritsar, where the Sikhs highest seat is situated. That is in no
way relevant to the groups' ability to provide necessary
professional and spiritual services to our congregations here, and
it amounts to discriminatory and dilatory treatment of professional
preachers needed for essential religious and community services.
WSO has called
upon the government of Canada
to issue appropriate directives to immigration officials in New Delhi,
and Chandigarh to stop unnecessary harassment of religious preachers
and Raagi Jathas.
28
November, 2007
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