On 24th July, Canadian MP Chandra Arya responded to Khalistani terrorist and founder of Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, after Pannun threatened him in a video and asked the MP to leave Canada. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Arya said that our land (Canada) is being polluted by Khalistani extremists abusing our freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights.
In his statement, he recalled the contributions of Hindus made not only in Canada but worldwide. The statement read, “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 friends to go back to India. 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. 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. Our land is being polluted by Khalistani extremists abusing our freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights.”
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
Arya’s statement came after Pannun released a video threatening him. He said, “The likes of Arya and his supporters. You have no place in Canada because you are working against Canadian values, you are working against the Charter of Rights and you are promoting the interests of your masters in India. You all must abandon your citizenship and move back to your motherland India. While you and your supporters Chandra Arya are promoting violence against pro-Khalistan Sikhs we the Khalistan Sikhs. The pro-Khalistan Sikhs, have proved for decades that we are loyal to Canada, we are loyal to Canadian values. On 28th July in Calgary, the Khalistan Referendum voting is dedicated to all the Shaheeds of Canada who went back to fight Indian forces in Punjab following Canadian values of fighting injustice and attaining martyrdom. We are dedicating the 28th July Calgary voting to all those Shaheeds. You Chandra Arya, you and your followers have no place in a democratic country like Canada.”
Pannun released the video after Arya condemned the attack on Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton. In a post on X, he wrote, “The Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton is vandalized again. During the last few years, Hindu temples in Greater Toronto Area, British Columbia and other places in Canada are being vandalized with hateful graffiti. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice last year publicly called for Hindus to go back to India. Khalistan supporters publicly celebrated in Brampton and Vancouver the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and brandishing images of deadly weapons. As I have always been saying, Khalistani extremists seems to get away with ease with their public rhetoric of hate and violence. Again, let me put on record. Hindu-Canadians are legitimately concerned. Like a broken record, I again call on Canadian law enforcement agencies to take this issue seriously before these rhetorics get translated into physical action against Hindu-Canadians.”
The Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton is vandalized again. During the last few years, Hindu temples in Greater Toronto Area, British Columbia and other places in Canada are being vandalized with hateful graffiti.
— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) July 23, 2024
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice last… pic.twitter.com/G0a8ozrrHX
Attack on BAPS Temple
On 22nd July, extremists defaced the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton city in Alberta province of Canada. In the photographs, it could be seen that the wall of the Hindu temple vandalised with Hinduphobic, anti-Modi graffiti.
This is not the first time that a Hindu temple had come under attack in Canada.
- In September 2023, the Shree Mata Bhameshwari Durga Devi Society in Surrey British Columbia was sprayed with ‘Punjab is not India’ grafitti
- In February 2023, a Ram temple in Mississauga was defaced with anti-India graffiti by unknown miscreants.
- In January 2023, the Gauri Shankar Mandir was desecrated by Khalistani extremists in Brampton City in Ontario province of Canada. The walls of the temple were defaced with anti-India graffiti by Khalistanis associated allegedly with the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The vicious slogan of ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’ was found spray-painted on the outer wall of Gauri Shankar Mandir.
- In September 2022, some Khalistani terrorists defaced BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto with anti-India slogans. Several videos circulating on social media showed slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’ painted on the walls of the temple.
- In February 2022 alone, six Hindu temples were attacked in Toronto.
