Not here to 'break any country': Canada defense minister on 'Khalistani' allegations

New Delhi: Clearing the air over allegations of being a Khalistani sympathiser, visiting Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan has said that his trip is aimed at forging better bilateral ties and not to 'break any country'.

"I have been given many labels throughout my life and your actions define who you are. I don't personally suck into the internal politics of any province or nations," he said while addressing an audience here as he spoke on 'Conflict Prevention and Peacekeeping in a Changing World'.

"I do not promote the breakup of any country... My job is to promote a relation," he added.

The visiting minister's comments come in the wake of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh describing Sajjan "a Khalistani sympathiser". During an interview last week, Singh stated that there were four other ministers in the Justin Trudeau government with Khalistani links.

The chief minister even went on to say that he would not meet the Canadian Minister on his India visit.

Sajjan is on a seven-day visit to India during which he is scheduled to hold several high-level ministerial meetings.

In Punjab, Sajjan will visit the Golden Temple and civil society organisations. He will inaugurate the new office of the Consulate-General of Canada in Chandigarh.

In the financial capital, Sajjan will visit the Mumbai Port and meet several business and industry leaders.