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Canadian MP flays temple vandalism, gets threat from SFJ’s Pannun
Canadian MP Chandra Arya condemns vandalism at Hindu temple in Edmonton, blames Khalistani extremists for abusing freedoms. India seeks action.
A prominent Canadian MP of Indian origin on Wednesday said the country was being “polluted” by Khalistani extremists who were “abusing” the freedoms guaranteed under the Charter of Rights, days after a Hindu temple was vandalised in Edmonton.
Amidst rising Hinduphobia in Canada, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir was vandalised with alleged hateful and anti-India graffiti on Monday morning in Edmonton in Alberta state, about 3,400 km west-northwest of here.
Chandra Arya, a member of Parliament from Nepean in the House of Commons, said in a post on his X account that separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) released a video demanding that Arya and his Hindu-Canadian friends go back to India after he (Arya) condemned the vandalism of the Hindu temple and other acts of hate and violence by Khalistan supporters in Canada.
“We Hindus have come to our wonderful country Canada from all parts of the world. We have made and continue to make immense positive and productive contributions to the socio-economic development of Canada. With our long history of Hindu culture and heritage, we have enriched the multicultural fabric of Canada,” Arya, a member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, wrote.
“Our land is being polluted by Khalistani extremists abusing our freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights,” Arya added.
Arya’s statement comes against the backdrop of severe strain in India-Canada ties over the killing of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year. In September last year, Trudeau alleged there was a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing.
India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.
Criticising the vandalism at the BAPS temple, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver wrote on X, “We have requested the Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action against the perpetrators.”
