Dosanjh Says He was 'Joking' about Sikh-Homeland Comment

VANCOUVER — Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh said he was just being "sarcastic" when he suggested on a radio talk show that Sikhs who want an independent Khalistan should "buy land in Alberta and make their own country."

Dosanjh, who has been the target of recent death threats from Sikh supporters of an independent homeland in India, gave an interview on the topic for Surrey-based Radio India which aired on April 16.

Speaking in Punjabi, Dosanjh said the call for a Sikh homeland of Khalistan is strong here in Canada, but not in India, so any move for an independent Sikh state should be Canadian-based.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-news/30351-dosanjh-says-he-joking-about-sikh.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30351

"If they want Khalistan, those of us who think of themselves as Sikhs here are two per cent (of the population of Canada). They have been here 100, 125 years," said Dosanjh, according to an English transcript of the broadcast. "They can make a homeland here, buy land in Alberta and make their own country."

Host Gurpreet Singh said he believed Dosanjh was joking.

"I think he was being sarcastic," said Singh, host of the program Vichar Manch, which translates to Opinion Forum. "We were not discussing about where Khalistan should be.

"One of our online callers was upset, and off-air we got a second complaint."

Dosanjh, reached in Ottawa, said he was only joking about an Albertan Sikh homeland.

"This is my sarcastic response to calls for a separate state in Punjab," Dosanjh told the Vancouver Province.

"Sarcastically, I said, 'Look, it's a Canadian problem.'

"There's no demand for Khalistan in India. The only demand is here in Canada. So let's have the homeland in Canada."

Dosanjh has drawn the ire of a minority of Sikhs since the '80s, after speaking out against the violence sparked by Canadian members of the Khalistan movement who seek to create a Sikh homeland in India's Punjab region.

Tensions between Dosanjh and those radical Sikhs have intensified in recent weeks. He was warned away from attending the recent Vaisakhi parade in Surrey by organizers who said he and Dave Hayer, a member of the B.C. legislature, would have to provide their own security.

Dosanjh, Hayer and Surrey Mayor Diane Watts launched complaints with Surrey RCMP over the comments, while B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff boycotted the event.

More recently, violent postings on the social-networking website Facebook condemned Dosanjh as a traitor to the Sikh religion and threatened to "pierce him with bullets."

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

 
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I think we need to go back to the drawing board and ask, Why his remarks were upsetting to some of us, even if he was joking?

Don't get the joke.... but then I don't have much of a sense of humor.

Narayanjot ji, even if his remarks are upsetting, should he need security right after making them? No, right? Why don't people get this?

The joke/sarcastic remark is pretty witty, not one you would laugh at though. Its explained in the article, and he probably said Alberta because there are farms there, just like Punjab. Plus there's a lot of wheat production in the prairies. There's the connection for those of you who don't get it.

Sat Shri Akaal Everyone,

It is incredible that Mr. Dosanjh himself did not understand very simple (although inappropriate) comments made on the radio show, and dragged those to the Canadian parliament to show that Sikhs are violent people and his life is in danger. But he is demanding such understanding for his own comments which are way way worse. He highlighted some comments on the facebook also to show that Sikhs are violent. He even said that if these extremists from various miniorities are not controlled then Canada will also be divided. He wants to scare the Canadians and appear like their only savior. How typical Indian politician!
If his life was being threatened, why did he not simply press charges against someone who was threatening him, instead of trying to give the Sikh community bad name? Instead he spoke the language of the Indian government that Sikhs are violent and as Rajiv Gandhi had said in Canada, that Sikhs can make their country here in Canada. Mr. Dosanjh and other Sikhs (the ones making inappropriate comments on the radio show and on facebook, and fighting in the Gurudwaras, specially using Kirpans and Karas), are doing the dirty job for the Indian Government to show that Sikhs are violent people. NONE of THEM are Sikh friends. By suggesting that Sikhs should make their country here, he is trying to put that fear in the Canadian hearts that this is what Sikhs will be doing in the future. He is being suggestive in a clever way. These are not some simple comments as he is not a simple person, but a calculative politician who is making calculative comments to alienate the Sikh community from the main stream.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30351
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=30351

Never vote such two faced person who comes to the Sikhs for the votes, but works to backstab the same community. The others who are giving the Sikhs bad name should also be removed from the Gurudwaras. This is the only solution to such elements hiding behind Sikh faces.

Thank you,
Rani Kaur

No he should not need security right after making the comment. Thanks for the explanation. It was sarcastic of him.