Canadian police condemned for link with anti-Sikh Hindu extremist

Peel Police have faced widespread condemnation for taking part in an event with a Hindu extremist who played a prominent role in the anti-Sikh unrest which engulfed Canada just months ago.

On 25^th January Hindu community figures hosted Peel Police for a “Countering Hate in Our Community module”.  Via an X (Twitter) picture shared by Peel Police’s diversity team, Sikhs noted the presence of an as-of-yet unnamed Hindu man who has been filmed making inflammatory anti-Sikh statements within the last year.

During the first week of November last year, as Sikhs marked the 40^th anniversary of the #SikhGenocide1984, unrest engulfed Canada when its Indian nationalist communities responded to a minor skirmish outside a Mandir as a “Hindu temple attack”. The man pictured with Peel Police, the law enforcement responsible for Brampton and surrounding areas, was filmed during this period giving provocative speeches to Hindu groups, saying things including “fight for your dharma (religion)”, “they will attack your homes”, whilst he was also seen calling for Hindus to go to Gurdwaras in the area, prior to a Hindutva (Hindu extremist) mob surrounding Malton Gurdwara.

Amid the violent speech, Hindu figures were later seen calling for Gurdwaras to be “stormed” and even petrol bombed. Read more on this here. Concerns about the lack of convictions of the Hindu extremists behind the calls for violence continue to be echoed by Sikh groups and others concerned about growing Indian nationalist extremism in Canada.

Rather than address concerns about the link up with a Hindu extremist, Peel Police instead blocked comments and have not yet made any statements on the event. The Sikh Press Association has reached out for further comment, with none coming thus far.

Speaking on the concerning link up, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said, “The lack of awareness within Peel Police is concerning. Canadian Sikhs would have hoped they would have made note of the dangerous provocateurs seen enflaming anti-Sikh hate last November, which led to mobs surrounding Gurdwaras in both the east and west coasts of Canada. Sadly, this meet between a hate preacher and Peel Police may indicate to some the law is not taking Indian nationalist violence in Canada seriously.”