Tension with India, Canadian opposition party keeps distance from Diwali celebrations

Canada Diwali Celebration: The impact of tension between Delhi and Ottawa is visible on the Diwali celebrations. Due to the tension between India and Canada, the opposition party in Canada has kept a distance from the Diwali celebrations.

Canada Diwali Celebration: Amidst the ongoing diplomatic dispute with India, the opposition leader in Canada, Pierre Polievre, has cancelled the Diwali celebrations at the Parliament Hill. The organizers of the event, Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), did not receive any clear explanation for the cancellation, which was originally scheduled to take place on October 30 under the auspices of Conservative Party MP Todd Doherty.

OFIC President Shiv Bhaskar wrote a letter to Pierre Polievre expressing disappointment over the decision. In the letter, Bhaskar mentioned that many political leaders who had participated in the event in previous years had suddenly backed out, giving the community a sense of ‘betrayal and unjust targeting’. Bhaskar has demanded an apology from the opposition leader and termed the move as ‘insensitive and discriminatory’.

He emphasized that the tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa are serious, but it should not lead to unfair treatment of Indian-origin Canadians who have no connection with the Indian government. Notably, the event will still take place, but now under the auspices of the Liberal Party’s MP, Chandr Arya.

In the past, many political leaders, including the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, had participated in the Diwali celebrations. However, this year, the opposition party has cancelled the event, citing tensions between India and Canada.

The cancellation of the Diwali celebrations is not just about an event or a politician’s commitment. It is a deeper problem. Racism and discrimination are on the rise in Canada. This latest incident has exposed the systemic prejudices that still exist.

Shiv Bhaskar, President of OFIC, said that the event has been taking place on the Parliament Hill for the past 26 years, and it is unfortunate that it has been cancelled this year.

The Liberal Party’s MP, Chandr Arya, will now host the Diwali celebrations in collaboration with the OBERAI Foundation. In a press release, the foundation’s chairperson, Priti Oberai-Martin, said that the event has been a non-partisan celebration of Indian culture and has always been above party politics.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government has accused India’s Home Minister, Amit Shah, of plotting against Khalistanis in Canada. However, the Indian government has denied these allegations, terming them baseless. Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison made these allegations during a parliamentary panel meeting, but did not provide any evidence to support his claims.