Canada denies Indian CRPF officer entry, cites human rights violations
The Canadian government denied entry to CRPF IG (Retd.) Tejinder Singh Dhillon for serving a government which carries out "terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide". He was declared inadmissible when he arrived at Vancouver airport, under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. They said the CRPF had "committed systemic human rights abuses, for example torture, arbitrary detention, murder and sexual assault".
Canadian document admonished Indian government
A document given to Dhillon at the airport said he was a "prescribed senior official in the service of a government that...engages or has engaged in terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide, a war crime or a crime against humanity."
How did matters unfold?
Dhillon said his wife and him were pulled aside for questioning during the initial immigration check. He said the questioning lasted for 7 hours and only ended after his friend, a former Liberal Party politician intervened. He was granted a 12 hour respite and allowed to go to his friend's house, but questioning resumed in the morning following which he was deported.
Dhillon's side of the story
Dhillon returned to Ludhiana and told the media that he had been traveling to Canada for over 30 years and even did so while he was a serving officer of the CRPF. He added that he was granted a visa by the Canadian government, which was valid until 2024. He said he was questioned for 7 hours in an "unreasonable and indecent manner."
Indo-Canadian ties under strain?
Indo-Canadian ties have been marred by friction recently after the Ontario Assembly became the first legislature in Canada to carry a motion that described the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as "genocide." Indian External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said "We reject this misguided motion which is based on a limited understanding of India." India also took up the matter with the Canadian government.
