Indian-Origin MP Chandra Arya Claims Khalistanis Have Tarnished Canada’s Environment After Receiving Threats

Ottawa:

On Wednesday, a notable Canadian MP of Indian descent expressed concerns that Khalistani extremists were “polluting” Canada by exploiting the freedoms enshrined in the Charter of Rights. This statement came shortly after a Hindu temple in Edmonton was vandalized.

In the midst of increasing Hinduphobia in Canada, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, was defaced with anti-India graffiti on Monday morning, approximately 3,400 km from Ottawa.

Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament from Nepean in the House of Commons, shared on his X account that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a separatist from Sikhs for Justice, released a video demanding Arya and his Hindu-Canadian associates return to India. This came after 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. From every country in South Asia, many countries in Africa and Caribbean, and many other parts of the world, we have come here and Canada is our land,” Arya, a member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, wrote.

“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,” he said.

“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 response to my condemnation of the vandalism of the Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton and other acts of hate and violence by Khalistan supporters in Canada, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice has released a video demanding me and my Hindu-Canadian… pic.twitter.com/vMhnN45rc1

— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) July 24, 2024

The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of 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.

India has repeatedly conveyed its “deep concerns” to Canada and New Delhi expects Ottawa to take strong action against those elements.

Meanwhile, the vandalism at the BAPS temple was criticised by other local elected representatives too.

The Consulate General of India in Vancouver had said in a post on X on Tuesday: “We condemn the defacing of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in #Edmonton with anti-India graffiti. We have requested the Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action against the perpetrators.” However, there has been no reaction as yet from the BAPS – the Bochasanwasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation that runs the temple.