Canadian Hindu org call Sikh MPs “opposing ideological persons” in leaked letter

A west coast based Hindu community organization sent a letter to Conservative Party Canada (CPC) this week to complain about Sikh MPs visiting a Mandir, calling them “opposing ideological persons”.

The letter from the popular Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (Hindu temple) based in Surrey (BC), signed by Mandir president and community figure Satish Kumar, was sent to Pierre Poilievre and leaked to Sikh journalist Gurpreet Singh Sahota. It stated the attendance of Sikh MPs to a community event “disheartened” the Mandir representatives.

The letter referenced a visit by Jasraj Hallan, Edmonton MP and Shadow Minister for Standing Committee on Finance, Harjot Gill (MP candidate for Surrey), Jessy Sahota (MP candidate for Delta), and even CPC Deputy Leader Tim Uppal (MP for Edmonton Mill Woods). It claimed that the Sikh reps of the CPC would not be able to relate to issues of “Hinduphobia” and that their presence showed “a lack of cultural sensitivity” from CPC.

It went on to request the attendance of Jewish Thornhill MP Melissa Lantsman and Shuvaloy Majumdar, MP of Calgary Heritage, suggesting they would be better placed to address “daily challenges Canadian Hindus face”. Many Sikhs view Majumdar as a political figure who parrots Indian nationalist rhetoric around Sikhs and critics of India’s current regime under Narendra Modi’s BJP Party.

The letter underlines growing concerns of anti-Sikh hatred in Canada, which comes not just from white supremacist groups but also Hindutva (Hindu extremist) followers. However, the next day, in what Baaz News described as a “panic” due to the leak, the Mandir released another letter to “apologize” and claim there was no “malicious intent” behind it.

Speaking on the leaked letter, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer said:

“The suggestion by a Hindu leader that Sikh CPC reps are not welcome to discuss relevant issues with the Hindu community is an incredibly provocative and revealing statement. Within Indian nationalist and Hindutva philosophy, there is an idea that Sikhi is part of the Hindu faith, and the communities are one-and-the-same. Despite the fact the massive majority of Sikh groups reject this and view it as an attempt to coopt the Sikh faith, it is an idea which many Hindu groups continue to push. It is also used to attack the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) movement, by suggesting those who support it are not separate from this imagined Sikh-Hindu unity.

“So for this Surrey Mandir led by Satish Kumar to seemingly attempt to pressure CPC into not sending its Sikh reps to their Mandir, this can really only be seen as means to attack and sideline the growing presence of CPC Sikhs.

“This will also prompt further concerns about a long-running connection between Indian nationalists and the CPC, which is currently being pushed by Hindu extremist figures like Major Gaurav Arya, who suggests the party must be supported to allow India to target Khalistanis and Sikh critics of India.”

The CPC’s link to Indian State interference is continually being raised by various Canadian political commentators, including through a recent report by Press Progress.

Calling Sikhs political reps in Canada (and the UK and beyond) “Khalistanis” as a pejorative to deter them from speaking out about India’s human rights abuses is a long used tactic of supporters of the Hindutva Indian nationalist agenda.

A national election is set to take place in Canada by the end of 2025, with campaigning for it heating up every week.