'Our Land Being Polluted By Khalistani Extremists': Canadian MP Condemns Vandalism Of Hindu Temple

Canadian MP Chandra Arya condemned the recent "anti-India" graffiti painted on the walls of BAPS Swaminarayan Temple In Edmonton, calling them "acts of hate and violence".

After the walls of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Edmonton were defaced with "anti-India graffiti" on Monday, Chandra Arya, Member of the Parliament of Canada, condemned the vandalism and said that the country was "being polluted by Khalistani extremists". He also responded to the video released by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice, wherein he demanded Arya and other Hindu-origin Canadians to leave the country and return to India.

Pannun, in the video, had asked the Canadian MP and his supporters to leave Canada saying that he was "working against Canada, its value, and its Charter of Rights." He also alleged that Arya was "promoting the interests of the masters in India."

He further asked the member of the House of Commons to "abandon his citizenship and move back to India."

"We pro-Khalistan sikhs have proved over decades that we are loyal to Canada," Pannun added.

'Khalistani Extremists Are Polluting Our Land': Arya

Reacting to this, Chandra Arya on Wednesday stated in a post on X: "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." 

He further stressed that "Canada is our land" and that "we have made and continue to make immense positive and productive contribution 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 added.

Chandra Arya, who was recently threatened in the slurs used in the graffiti when the BAPS Hindu temple was defaced, hit out at the Khalistani extremists saying, "Our land is being polluted by Khalistani extremists abusing our freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights."

VHP Asks Canadian Authorities To 'Act Against Extremist Ideology'

The Hindu American Foundation said that the slurs used in the graffiti attacked Indian-origin Arya, adding "we are outraged by the latest incident that mirrors several previous attacks —many blamed on pro-Khalistan activists."

"The temple was defaced with slurs threatening Chandra Arya, one of a few Hindu Members of the Canadian House of Commons," the organisation tweeted.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad in Canada condemned the incident and called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government to “act decisively against the growing extremist ideology.”

 VHP also denounced the Hinduphobic graffiti and vandalism at the BAPS Mandir in Edmonton.

The Indian Consulate General in Vancouver also condemned the "anti-India graffiti" and requested Canadian authorities to investigate the matter and "take prompt action against the perpetrators".