By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Toronto : Deepak Obhrai, who is the highest-ranking Indo-Canadian in the present Canadian government, is furious about being ignored by the Punjab government for the Punjabi NRI Sammelan in Chandigarh this week.
Speaking to IANS, Obhrai, who is an MP from Calgary East and parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, said the Punjab government has invited other MPs and legislators from Canada to attend the NRI conference, but not him.
He asked: “Why not me? Am I not a Punjabi? Is it because I am a Hindu Punjabi, not a Sikh Punjabi? Or who according to them qualifies to be called a Punjabi. If this is a Punjabi NRI conference and they are inviting all prominent Punjabis from Canada and elsewhere, then why was I ignored?”
Obhrai added angrily: “Of course, it is their prerogative to invite anyone. But it rankles because I represent Punjabis at the highest level in Canada today. I am proud to be Punjabi like any other Punjabi MP or legislator in Canada. The whole thing seems to be biased.”
Asked whether he will raise the issue with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during his upcoming visit to India, he said Punjab was not on the itinerary during his short visit as he was accompanying his minister for foreign affairs.
However, he said, he would like to bring this to the notice of the organisers of the Punjabi NRI Sammelan.
“Such gatherings are for promoting our brotherhood, and this spirit should be respected in the future,” he said.