Amid rising tensions over the vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, Indian-origin Canadian Member of Parliament Chander Arya has been threatened by Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of ‘Sikhs for Justice’. Pannun’s video threat, urging Arya to “go back to Modi in India”, comes after Arya condemned the vandalism of the temple.
On Monday morning, something that appears hateful and anti-India was done at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta. The incident took place about 3,400 kilometres west-northwest of the territory’s capital. There has been no response yet from BAPS – Bochasanwasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation that runs the temple.
Chandra Arya, a Canadian Cabinet MP and a member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, reported the threat from Pannun on the microblogging site X.
In a threatening video, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice demanded that Chandra Arya and his Hindu-Canadian friends “go back to Modi’s India.”
Sharing the video, Chandra Arya said that Khalistanis are ‘polluting’ Canada and that separatist groups are ‘abusing’ the freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights
“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 the 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.
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 pro-Khalistan supporters in Canada, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice has released a video demanding that I and my Hindu-Canadian community… pic.twitter.com/vMhnN45rc1
— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) July 24, 2024
He said, “We have made and continue to make enormous positive and productive contributions to Canada’s socio-economic development. With our long history of Hindu culture and heritage, we have enriched the multicultural fabric of Canada.”
“Our land is being polluted by Khalistani extremists, who are abusing the freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights,” Arya said.
This statement of MP Chandra Arya comes amid increased tension in India-Canada relations after the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia in June 2023.
Diplomatic relations were further strained when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September accused India of possible involvement in Nijjar’s death.
India has consistently raised concerns over Canada’s alleged tolerance towards pro-Khalistan groups operating freely within its borders. New Delhi has urged Ottawa to take decisive action against these elements, and stressed the need for strict action to resolve the issue.
