Several days following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertions regarding a "possible connection" between individuals associated with the Government of India and the assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, a member of Trudeau's own political party, delivered a harsh critique of the government. He accused them of allegedly allowing hate crimes to occur under the pretext of protecting freedom of speech and expression.
In a video message released on Thursday, Arya shared his apprehensions, expressing the following,“I can’t understand how glorification of terrorism or a hate crime targeting a religious group is allowed in the name of freedom of speech and expression," as reported by Indian Express.
Arya specifically pointed out recent incidents wherein Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the president of the prohibited organization Sikhs for Justice, publicly targeted Hindu Canadians. Pannun encouraged them to depart Canada and return to India. Arya asserted that this action by the Khalistan movement leader was a deliberate effort to provoke responses from Hindu Canadians and foster divisions within both the Hindu and Sikh communities residing in Canada.
He said, “Let me be clear. The vast majority of our Canadian Sikh brothers and sisters do not support the Khalistan movement. Most Sikh Canadians may not publicly condemn the Khalistan movement for several reasons, but they are deeply connected to the Hindu-Canadian community. Canadian Hindus and Sikhs are connected through family relationships and shared social and cultural ties.”
Arya also made reference to the recent acts of violence directed at Hindu temples and the open celebration of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Offering his support to Arya's stance, Maninder Gill, President of Friends of Canada & India Foundation Surrey, stated:“Canada boasts of the Charter of Rights, which guarantees freedom to practice religion without fear or hindrance but a handful of people continue to run amok and vandalise Hindu places of worship. Canada has to differentiate between liberty and licence.”
In his video message on Thursday, Arya said, “For over ten months, I have been attacked for raising a flag with our Hindu religious sacred symbol Aum on our parliament hill.”
