Elderly couple fear deportation to India, supporters protest outside federal minister’s Montreal office – Montreal | 24CA News
An aged couple from India is pleading with the federal authorities to permit them to remain in Canada as a result of they concern for his or her security.
Protesters converged in entrance of the federal immigration refugees and citizenship minister Marc Miller’s Montreal workplace with a plea on behalf of Rajvinder Kaur and Randhir Singh, an aged Sikh couple.
“There’s a threat of this family, this couple, being deported this weekend to India,” their lawyer Stewart Istvanffy famous throughout a press briefing earlier than the demonstration.
The pair, now of their 70s, fled to Canada in 2015 after Singh says he was arrested, crushed and tortured by police.
“Randeer Singh was falsely accused of having links with militants and providing them shelter,” defined Ram Chand, translating for the couple who don’t converse English.
Istvanffy mentioned as soon as in Canada their refugee declare was denied so that they’ve utilized for everlasting residency on humanitarian grounds. While that’s being studied the couple is asking minister Miller for a short lived resident allow, as a result of they concern for his or her lives in the event that they’re deported Saturday.
“Rajvinder Kaur is saying that the husband will be arrested again, he will be tortured,” defined Chand on behalf of Kaur.
“How much desperate does a situation need to be for a refugee application to be accepted?” Sharone Birapaka of the South Asian Diaspora Action needed to know.
According to Istvanffy, Singht has put up traumatic stress dysfunction from the alleged torture in 2015, and even tried to commit suicide when his refugee utility was denied was denied a number of weeks in the past.
“Basically he says to people that he’d rather they kill him here or that he kills himself here than go back to India,” the lawyer informed reporters.
Those supporting the couple on the protest blame Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and his ruling BJP occasion for what they are saying is discrimination towards minority teams in India, together with Sikhs. In March this 12 months there have been protests in Canada and different international locations towards crackdown on Sikh areas in India, whereas police looked for an activist.
Monday, protesters outdoors Miller’s workplace insist Canada has an obligation to guard Singh and Kaur. Miller’s workplace declined the chance to reply citing privateness of the couple’s file.
