'Move Back to India': Indo-Canadian MP Receives Threat From Pannun After Temple Defacement

Ottawa: An Indian-origin MP in Canada, Chandra Arya, has alleged that he received threats from Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who demanded that he go back to India over his condemnation of the vandalism of the Hindu temple in Edmonton and other acts of hate and violence by Khalistan supporters in the country.

A Member of Parliament from Nepean in the House of Commons, Chandra Arya tweeted that Sikhs for Justice's Pannun released a video demanding that Arya and his Hindu-Canadian friends to return to India.

Arya wrote on X, "In response to my condemnation of the vandalism of the Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton and other acts of hate and violence by Khalistan supporters in Canada, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice has released a video demanding me and my Hindu-Canadian friends to go back to India(sic)."

“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,” the MP further wrote.

“Our land is being polluted by Khalistani extremists abusing our freedoms guaranteed by our Canadian Charter of Rights,” Arya added.

Justin Trudeau's party MP's statement comes against the backdrop of severe strain in India-Canada diplomatic relationship over the killing of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, in June last year.

The ties between the two nations severed following Trudeau's allegations claiming Indian agents' alleged involvement of in Nijjar's killing though India has denied any such role in the murder case.

While India has maintained that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada is harbouring pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.