Punjabi Couple's Refugee Claim Rejected: Canadian Authorities Doubt Alleged Khalistan Movement Links
Punjab couple denied refugee status in Canada due to alleged links to Khalistan movement, adding to debate on asylum for individuals connected to the movement.
In a recent development, a couple from Punjab residing in Montreal, Rajvinder Kaur and Randhir Singh, have been denied refugee status by Canadian authorities. They claimed that their lives would be in danger if they were deported to India due to their alleged links to the Khalistan movement.
However, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) rejected their claims, according to CTV News. The couple had argued that they were “victims of political violence, with Kaur stating that her husband had been “arrested and tortured by internal security police on suspicions he offered shelter to radicalized Sikhs seeking independence.
Stewart Istvanffy, their lawyer, expressed their disappointment and mentioned that their only hope now lies in the intervention of Canada’s Immigration Minister. This case is not the first where individuals facing potential deportation from India have sought political refuge in Canada by emphasizing the possible repercussions of their suspected links to the Khalistan movement.
One such example is Karamjit Kaur, a former international student from India based in Edmonton. She faced deportation due to fraudulent documentation prepared by an immigration agent in India, which affected several ex-students who obtained study permits from Canadian institutions.
However, her deportation was temporarily frozen by Canada’s Immigration Minister in May this year. Kaur’s plea to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds was supported by Istvanffy, who highlighted that her life would be at risk if she returned to India. Refugee claims related to India often revolve around the Khalistan issue, but a significant number of them are not accepted.
In the first quarter of 2023, the IRB accepted 833 claims, while 722 were rejected. Previous years have shown higher rejection numbers than acceptances. In 2022, 3,469 claims were accepted, while 3,797 were rejected. Similarly, in 2021, there were 1,043 accepted claims compared to 1,652 rejections, according to IRB statistics.
The denial of refugee status to the Punjab couple adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the Khalistan movement and its impact on individuals seeking asylum in Canada.
