Canadian Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre on Saturday (23 September) took to X, formerly Twitter, to condemn the “hateful comments” targeting the Hindu community in Canada.
The Conservative Party leader’s remarks come just three days after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of the banned Khalistani terrorist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) issued threats to the Hindu community. Pannun had told the Hindus residing in Canada to leave the country.
Every Canadian deserves to live without fear and feel welcomed in their community.
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) September 22, 2023
In recent days, we have seen hateful comments targeting Hindus in Canada. Conservatives condemn these comments against our Hindu neighbours and friends. Hindus have made invaluable contributions…
Poilievre wrote that every Canadian deserves to live without fear in the country. “Every Canadian deserves to live without fear and feel welcomed in their community. In recent days, we have seen hateful comments targeting Hindus in Canada. Conservatives condemn these comments against our Hindu neighbours and friends. Hindus have made invaluable contributions to every part of our country and will always be welcome here.”
In a hateful video, the SFJ chief Pannun had said, “Indo-Canadian Hindus, you have repudiated the allegiance to Canada and the Canadian constitution. Your destination is India. Leave Canada, go to India.” The terrorist reportedly announced protests outside the Indian embassies in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver on 25 September.
On September 21, a Canadian Hindu MP Chandra Arya of the Liberal Party wrote a post on X criticising the Trudeau government for its inaction. He said, “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. There would be an outrage in Canada if a white supremacist attacked any group of racialised Canadians asking them to get out of our country. But apparently this Khalistani leader can get away with this hate crime.”
Few days back Khalistan movement leader in Canada and the president of Sikhs for Justice which organizes the so-called referendum Gurpatwant Singh Pannun attacked Hindu-Canadians asking us to leave Canada and go back to India.
— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) September 20, 2023
I have heard from many Hindu-Canadians who are… pic.twitter.com/z3vkAcsUDs
Along with the opposition, Hindu groups have also spoken out against the hate speech. The Hindu Forum Canada (HFC), on September 20, wrote to Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, Dominic LeBlanc, calling for decisive action in response to Pannun’s hateful video message against Hindus.
On the same day, the Indian World Forum issued a statement condemning pro-Khalistani elements for threatening Hindus in Canada.
Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party of Canada has been emerging as a popular choice for the post of Prime Minister among Canadians with Trudeau’s ratings falling to a dismal low. According to polls, Trudeau is now viewed as the worst prime minister in 50 years.
