OTTAWA: More than 100 members of Canadian Sikh Community demonstrated in front of Justice Minister Allan Jack’s office to protest deportation of Parminder Singh Saini to India. Saini, who has already spent 10 years in Pakistani prison for his role in hijacking of an Air India plane, was to be deported to India on August 6th as ordered by Canadian immigration courts. However, he won last minute reprieve to stay in Canada for another week in order to find alternative destination. His attorney Lorne Waldman feared certain death if he was deported to India. Saini, 33yearsold, originally belonged to Indian state of Punjab. He contends that hijacking the plane was a protest against Indian Army’s assault on Sikh’s holiest shrine, Golden ‘Temple in Amritsar on June 4, 1984. He insists that he never wanted to harm anybody as was evident from statements by several passengers, who said that hijackers were well disciplined and polite during hijacking ordeal. He also said that at that time he was young and acted on impulse. Leaders of demonstrators felt that once Saini is deported to India, he will be tortured and eliminated. They have also planned similar protests, in New York, Geneva and London.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 14, 1996
