The choice of wrong place and timing by Sikh radicals to stage protest against Indian Consulate staff led to confrontation
By Satinder Bains in Brampton
BRAMPTON, Canada: Politics has finally takes over the 'unfortunate' incident of clash outside a Hindu temple here between Khalistani extremists and Hindu nationalists, as they are called here. Neither common Sikhs of Hindus were involved in the violent incident of November 3. While Khalistanis were carrying so called Khalistan flags, the Hindu nationalists (political activists) arrived at temple with the Indian flags. There was nothing religious and no Hindu devotees were targeted in the whole incident as a section of media and vested political interests in India has projected it.
In fact the incident occurred when many Hindus and Sikhs were present in the parking area of Hindu temple where the officials of Hindu consulate were holding a camp to issue Life Certificates to pensioners, submitted to banks every year in the month of November. The schedule of Pension camps was advertised on the website of Indian High Commission in advance and this exercise is taken up every year in local Hindu and Sikh temples for the convenience of Indian senior citizens, living here.
It is reported that the Sikh radicals, mostly youngsters reached at the camp site to protest against Indian consulate officials in the background of ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada in the aftermath of murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjer. Similar protests were also organised in other cities including Vancouver and it is not for the first time that Khalistani elements were making such a protest. The only flash point is choice of location and timing made by Khalistanis. It is evident that the Hindu nationalists were aware of the protest and they reached there with Indian flags to counter the protest. After hurling abuses on each other, the protest took a violent turn and some Khalistani miscreants hounded the Hindu nationalists inside the parking area of the temple.
The common diaspora including Sikhs and Hindus living in Brampton or elsewhere in Canada are not happy with the activities of radical groups as it has become a routine to confront each other, whenever they found an opportunity. The Khalistani supporters who often outnumber the Hindu radicals are understood to have political backing. The Canada allows its citizens opportunity of free speech and right to protest which is widely abused and Brampton incident is a glaring example of this abuse.
The Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and LoP Republican Party leader Pierre Poilievrehave severely condemned the incident of violence and three people have been arrested so far. Canada is liberal to legitimate protests by all communities and races unlike India. The location and timing of the Khalistani protest has given a tool to Indian authorities to hit back the Canadian eastablishemnt. It happened a day after Canada declared India an enemy country and cyber security threat. Yet a few weeks earlier, the Canada government had named BJP leader and Union Home minister Amit Shah, the person involved in violent incidents in Canada. It was also alleged that Lawrence Bishnoi gang was operating in Canada in collusion with staf of Indian embassy.
Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi has grabbed the opportunity to make a political case out of Brampton incident, calling it an attack on Hindu temple. Which is not the case. Such statements could cause backlash and could have serious repercussions for security of Sikhs in Hindu majority states in India.
The leniency shown by Trudeo government in handling the Khalistani elements appears to be cause of rise in Khalsitan movement and local Sikhs are angry with the government for not enacting strict laws to restrict the violent protests and incidents of group clashes between Indian immigrants and their involvement in cases of vehicle snatching, robberies and extortions.
Yet there is another angle added to the whole incident by a local journalist Varinder Singh Pannu that some immigrants from Punjab who have applied for political asylum to get Permanent residency in Canada might be part of the so called Khalistani group as work permits of large number of students from India have expired and they are on the verge of deportation. Any action against them by Indian government could become a ground for seeking political asylum here.