A group of Indo-Canadian elected representatives (federal and provincial) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Toronto's Royal York Hotel on Monday and discussed on a range of topics -- including the 1984 riots in Delhi, the Air India tragedy, and the fringe extremist elements in the Canadian Sikh community.
In his remarks Dr Singh said he was happy that "the name and fame you have earned through your hard work has helped to change the people's perspective in the Western world of what India has earned, what India stands for and what India can do "
He said Indians had done the country proud in all walks of life -- politics, industry, trade and science and technology.
"In each of these areas people of Indian origin have done us proud."
The Indian prime minister advised the Indo-Canadian community that "we shouldn't bring to this country some of the divisive elements of politics back at home" as it did not help to advance the cause of the community.
"It does not help living in the past."
Talking on the 1984 riots case, Singh conceded that there were "weaknesses in the Indian legal system, as there may be in the Canadian system".
The Indo-Canadian Sikhs in Canada had recently held demonstrations in the streets of downtown Toronto when Indian federal Minister Kamal Nath had visited Canada on an official visit alleging that he was implicated in the 1984 riots.
Two Canadian Liberal Members of Parliament -- Andrew Kania and Sukh Dhaliwal -- had presented a petition in the House of Commons on behalf of their constituents last month seeking that the 1984 tragedy be called an organised genocide of Sikhs in India.
"These were horrible and they should never have happened," Singh conceded and said he had "on behalf of the Government of India apologised, on behalf of the nation apologised for what happened in 1984".
Singh said the Indian government has to his credit "opened up all cases for compensation".
He added that it was futile to stay in the past and so "the challenge is to look ahead in a world increasingly globalised, integrated whether you are here or in India".
Giving his own example he told the representatives that he was a Sikh himself but was the prime minister of India.
"Sikhs in India are now ambassadors, state governors, army generals and they have made progress in all walks of life," Singh said.
"Sikhs want to move ahead from 1984" and said it was "incumbent on the Sikh diaspora to strengthen the bonds of India-Canada relations "
Just as the bombing of Air India flight incident cannot be undone, the November 1984 rioting in Delhi too can't be undone, Singh said.
Obhrai and Hayer both noted that Singh was right in suggesting Indo-Canadians shouldn't bring India's problems to Canada and not export problems of Canada to India.
Liberal Member of British Columbia Legislature Dave Hayer, who earlier had reservations about attending the meeting sue to differences in opinion with some MPs and MLAs on the 1984 riots, said he was glad he met Singh.
"I am glad that I attended the meeting as I was able to convey my views to the Indian prime minister and the good part is his views are similar to my views, to views of many of us who were present at the meeting," Hayer said.
"Singh said the government of India was doing its best through the judicial process to take action against the culprits of 1984 rioting."
Hayer's family had been victims of attacks by Sikh extremists in British Columbia.
