Amidst rising tensions over the vandalization of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, an Indian-origin Canadian lawmaker, MP Chandra 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’s India," comes in the wake of Arya's condemnation of the temple vandalism.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, was vandalized with what appears to be hateful and anti-India graffiti on Monday morning. The incident occurred approximately 3,400 km west-northwest of the region's capital. There has been no reaction as yet from the BAPS – the Bochasanwasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, the organisation that runs the temple.
Chandra Arya, an MP in the Canadian cabinet and member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party, took to microblogging site X to inform about the threat from Pannun.
In a threatening video, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice demanded that Chandra Arya and his Hindu-Canadian friends "return to Modi’s India."
Sharing the video Chandra Arya rebuked that Khalistanis are ‘polluting’ Canada and that the separatist group is ‘abusing’ 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 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.
MP Chandra Arya's statement comes amid heightened tensions in India-Canada relations following the killing of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, In June 2023.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusations in September regarding possible Indian involvement in Nijjar's death further strained diplomatic ties.
India has consistently raised concerns over Canada's perceived tolerance of pro-Khalistan groups operating freely within its borders. New Delhi has urged Ottawa to take decisive measures against these elements, emphasizing the need for robust action to address the issue.
