Hindu body in Canada flags Khalistani threats, cites misusing Nagar Kirtan

Ottawa, May 5 (IANS) The Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) on Monday strongly condemned the call by Khalistani extremists on Monday to send back 800,000 Hindus to India.

An anti-Hindu parade took place during the Malton and Etobicoke Nagar Kirtan at the Malton Gurdwara in Toronto, Canada.

A video capturing the event is circulating widely on social media, featuring a large truck displaying a replica of a jail that included effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

The HCF said that such statements foster division and spread hate against Hindu Canadians.

"The silence of many political leaders in response to such hateful remarks must be recognised as implicit consent. It is the duty of all Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament, across party lines, to take a stand against this divisiveness and reaffirm Canada's commitment to religious harmony and inclusivity," the HCF said in a statement.

"A civilised society cannot tolerate hate-mongering and attempts to fracture our diverse communities. We urge Canadians to hold politicians accountable -- asking them what legacy they wish to leave for future generations," the statement added.

The foundation further stated that the Nagar Kirtan is "meant to unite people of all faiths, reflecting the teachings of Sikh Gurus, and should never be misused for political provocation or exclusionary rhetoric."

Meanwhile, the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce also slammed the incident, demanding that Hindus leave Canada.

"There are 800,000 Hindus and over 1.86 million Indo-Canadians in Canada. The call at today's Nagar Kirtans in Malton & Etobicoke clearly targeted Hindus. History teaches us that calls for mass expulsion lead to unthinkable acts. This dangerous rhetoric must be denounced by all leaders," it said in a statement.

The Khalistani extremism, especially against the Hindus, has been on the rise in Canada, with repeated cases of Hindu temple desecrations and vandalism.

Last month, the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti, marking it as the third reported act of vandalism at the same site.

Former Canadian MP Chandra Arya, addressed the incident strongly, in a post on X.

"The attacks on Hindu temples that began several years ago continue unabated today -- this latest graffiti on the Hindu temple is yet another chilling reminder of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism," he posted.

Arya warned of a larger, coordinated effort behind such acts: "Well-organised, well-funded, and backed by significant political clout, Khalistani elements are brazenly asserting their dominance and successfully silencing Hindu voices across Canada."

He also referenced the targeting of the Khalsa Diwan Society's Ross Street Gurdwara in Vancouver, which was defaced with slogans like "Khalistan Zindabad."

The Gurdwara management condemned the actions, calling them part of an "ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community."

"It is time for the Hindu Canadians jointly with the vast majority of our Sikh-Canadian brothers and sisters to rise with urgency and demand immediate, decisive action from authorities at all levels of government. Silence is no longer an option," Arya concluded, calling for urgent action following the incident last month.

--IANS

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