Last update:09 November 2024, 9:01 p.m. IST

Chandra Arya’s comment follows several Canadian politicians’ attempt to portray the Brampton incident as a clash between Canada’s Hindu and Sikh communities.

Canadian MP Chandra Arya. (Image via X)

Days after an attack on Hindus at a Brampton temple, Canadian MP Chandra Arya lashed out at politicians pitting Hindus and Sikhs on “opposing camps” and claimed that Hindu-Canadians and Sikhs were on one side and the Khalistanis on the other. .

Due to the deliberate actions of some politicians and the influence of Khalistanis, Canadians now wrongly equate Khalistanis with Sikhs, Arya said following several Canadian politicians attempting to portray the Brampton incident as a clash between Canadian Hindu and Sikh communities.

Protesters carrying Khalistani flags clashed with worshipers at a Hindu Sabha temple and disrupted an event co-hosted by temple authorities and the Indian consulate on November 3 in Brampton, a city in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario.

“Politicians are deliberately avoiding recognizing and mentioning the Khalistanis as responsible for this attack or are blaming other entities. They are misleading Canadians by portraying this as a Hindu-Sikh issue,” Arya, MP for Nepean, Ontario, said in a post on X on Friday.

“Politicians are portraying Hindus and Sikhs as opposing sides over the temple attack by Khalistan extremists. This image is simply false. Both sides are actually Hindu Canadians and the vast majority Sikh Canadians on one side, and Khalistanis on the other,” Arya said in the post on X which contained both a video and a text statement .

Strongly condemning the attack by Khalistani extremists “on behalf of Hindu Canadians and the vast majority of Sikh Canadians,” Arya also highlighted how common it is in Canada to see Hindus visiting Sikh gurudwaras and Sikhs visiting temples. Hindus.

“Politicians can do their best to divide Hindus and Sikhs. We can – and must – prove them wrong,” he said. “We, as Hindus and Sikhs, will not and should not allow vested interests to divide us for their political gain. » Relations between India and Canada came under strain following allegations by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September last year regarding “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the assassination of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

New Delhi dismissed Trudeau’s accusations as “absurd.” Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, has been designated a terrorist by India.

India maintains that the main issue between the two countries is Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating with impunity from Canadian soil.

India expelled six Canadian diplomats and recalled its high commissioner Sanjay Verma and other “targeted” officials from Canada after strongly rejecting Ottawa’s accusations.

Arya, who also spoke on the issue earlier, also mentioned Sikh community leader and former BC premier Ujjal Dosanjh, who said a silent majority of Sikhs wanted nothing to do with it. to do with Khalistan and they just didn’t want to. They don’t speak out because they are afraid of violence and violent repercussions.

Dosanjh said Khalistani supporters control many Gurudwaras in Canada, but silent Sikhs “still hold power over which politicians are elected,” Arya said.

“Due to the deliberate actions of some politicians and the influence of Khalistanis, Canadians now wrongly equate Khalistanis with Sikhs,” he said, adding that Hindus and Sikhs must educate Canadians “that we We are united in our fight against Khalistan extremists and their policies. donors. He also called on Canadian Hindus and Sikhs to urge community leaders “not to provide platforms at our events or temples for politicians unless they publicly recognize and expressly condemn Khalistani extremism.” » Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the presence of Khalistan supporters in Canada, but said they did not represent the Sikh community as a whole.

His comments came recently during Diwali celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, amid an ongoing diplomatic row with India over Nijjar’s killing.

“There are many Khalistan supporters in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole. Similarly, there are supporters of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians,” Trudeau said.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)