Canadian Hindu organizations are dismayed after opposition leader Pierre Poilievre canceled Deepavali celebrations

Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October 29, 2024. | Photo credit: Reuters

Hindus in Canada are saddened after opposition leader Pierre Poilievre decided to cancel 2024 Diwali celebrations.

The Hindu Forum on Canada says this move sends a clear message of exclusion to the community.

“A move that sends a clear message of exclusion to a community that is deeply rooted in Canada’s cultural fabric. Diwali, a festival that symbolizes light and unity, is celebrated worldwide and acknowledged with great respect by leaders such as US President Biden and astronaut Sunita Williams.” , CPC leader Pierre Poilievre has a worrying disregard for Canadian Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains shown. This decision is a politically motivated act of appeasement that rejects a significant, vibrant segment of Canadian society,” the Hindu Forum said in a statement.

The organization called on people of Indian descent in Canada to vote for leaders who will stand with all Canadians.

“Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in Canada – nearly 2.5 million people – are rapidly growing communities that have made significant contributions in everything from science to education. Mutual respect between communities is what makes Canada stronger, but it appears that the leadership of the CPC is doing this.” When it comes to these communities, it is crucial that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in the upcoming federal election speak carefully against decisions that show a lack of respect Poilievre is not yet prime minister, but his true politics of appeasement comes to the fore when he cancels Diwali celebrations. What other tactics could he use then? , and we must make our voices heard, let us stand together for representation, respect and true inclusivity,” the statement said.

Earlier, Canada's opposition leader Pierre Poilievre canceled Diwali celebrations scheduled to take place on Parliament Hill amid the ongoing diplomatic row with India.

The Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), the organizer of the event, received no explanation for the cancellation of the Diwali celebration.

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This statement comes amid strained relations between India and Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised allegations of India's involvement in the 2023 killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The situation has led to diplomatic tensions and the expulsion of six Canadian diplomats from the country in mid-October.

OFIC President Shiv Bhasker wrote a letter to Pierre Poilievre expressing his dismay at the decision. In a letter to Pierre Poilievre, Bhasker wrote: “It is with extreme disappointment and sadness that I write this letter to you to express our dismay that the Office of the Leader of the Opposition is canceling the 24th Diwali celebration on Parliament Hill.”

“The failure of politicians to participate in this important cultural event, especially at such a sensitive time, sends a clear message to Indo-Canadians: that we are not viewed as countrymen but as outsiders who are somehow in tune with the political actions of Canadians “A country to which many of us have family ties but no direct connection,” the letter continues.

Additionally, Mr. Bhasker called on the Leader of the Opposition's office to acknowledge the harm caused to the Indo-Canadian community by the cancellation of a Diwali celebration event.

“This canceled event was not just a political gathering; it should celebrate Diwali, a festival that brings families, friends and communities together in a spirit of light, hope and renewal. By distancing ourselves from this celebration, our political leader has turned what should have been a moment of unity into a moment of division,” the letter continued.