Canada's Opposition leader condemns 'hateful comments' targeting Hindus, highlights their 'invaluable contribution'

Ottawa: Canada's Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has condemned the "hateful comments" targeting Hindus in Canada. He stated that Hindus have made "invaluable contributions" to every part of Canada and added that the Hindu community "will always be welcome here." 

Conservative leader Poilievre said that each Canadian deserves to live without fear in the country. His remarks come after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation banned in India in 2019, in a viral video, threatened Hindus of Indian origin and asked them to leave Canada.

In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Poilievere said, "Every Canadian deserves to live without fear and feel welcomed in their community. In recent days, we have seen hateful comments targeting Hindus in Canada. Conservatives condemn these comments against our Hindu neighbours and friends. Hindus have made invaluable contributions to every part of our country and will always be welcome here."

Poilievre's tweet comes amid strain in India-Canada relations after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down in Canada's Surrey on June 18.

India has rejected Trudeau's allegations and called them "absurd and motivated." On Wednesday, Indian nationals, students in Canada and those planning on travelling to the country were advised to exercise caution, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. India on Tuesday expelled a senior Canadian diplomat to India in a reciprocal move to Canada expelling a senior Indian diplomat.

(ANI)