Temple go to, robust questions: Canada PM Carney reaches out to Hindus forward of polls

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who’s campaigning aggressively forward of April 28 federal elections, confirmed up on the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto on Saturday (April 5) to mark the competition of Ram Navami.

On the temple, Indo-Canadian Cupboard Minister Anita Anand obtained the PM, who later wrote on X, “So happy to welcome @markjcarney on his first go to to @bapstoronto to have a good time the beginning of Lord Rama. A really Completely happy Ram Navami!” Along with her, Liberal Get together MPs from the Higher Toronto Space (GTA) have been additionally current on the temple.

Significance of Hindu voters in Canada elections

In response to media experiences, there are about 600,000 Hindu Canadians eligible to vote within the upcoming elections. They kind important voting blocs in areas just like the GTA or Metro Vancouver and even cities like Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta.

Their help will be important for political events in a case of robust competitors.

Tensions persist

Regardless of current efforts by PM Carney to placate Hindus, tensions with the ruling Liberal celebration have persevered.

For example, the celebration’s mushy stance on Khalistani extremism has stoked fears amongst Hindus.

Criticism additionally mounted when the Liberal celebration
revoked the candidacy of Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya final month primarily based on unspecified “new data”.

Arya has usually taken a stand in opposition to Khalistani components in Canada and elsewhere. For his anti-Khalistan views, Arya has been focused by Khalistani teams up to now. In October, US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun urged Trudeau to go after Arya.

In a put up on X, Pannun stated that Canada ought to examine Arya for “spewing venom” in opposition to the Khalistan motion and being a mouthpiece of India.

Apparently, there have been assaults in opposition to Hindu temples within the nation.

Simply final week, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) launched searches for 2 males suspected of vandalising the Sri Krishna Brundavana Temple within the Higher Toronto Space. A CCTV footage confirmed the 2 males strolling to the temple and tearing down and damaging an indication on the entrance.

In September 2023, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation banned in India, requested Hindus to go away Canada and go to India.

“Indo-Hindu go away Canada; go to India. You not solely help India however you might be additionally supporting the suppression of speech and expression of pro-Khalistan Sikhs,” stated Gurpatwant Pannun in a video message.

Reacting to Carney’s go to to the Hindu temple, the Hindu Canadian Basis stated in an announcement, “The previous few years have posed important challenges for the Hindu neighborhood, which numbers over 1,000,000.”

“The current surge in anti-Hindu sentiment, fuelled by rising separatist teams, has deeply affected each Hindu Canadian. Addressing these urgent points will likely be a important focus for the upcoming Authorities,” the assertion added.