Chandigarh, Nov 5 (IANS): Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Working President Balwinder Singh Bhunder on Tuesday condemned incidents of violence outside religious places in Canada and appealed to people of Indian origin to defeat the conspiracies to divide them on communal lines.
He called upon the Canadian government to ensure all places of religious worship were secure from such acts of violence.
“Attempts are afoot to divide Sikhs and Hindus in Canada on communal lines. This is against the teachings of our Guru Sahiban who have preached the concept of ‘sarbat da bhala’,” said Balwinder Singh Bhunder.
The Akali Dal has always stood for communal harmony and has also made numerous sacrifices to uphold this principle. He appealed to people from both communities in Canada to recognise their common roots, exercise utmost restraint and maintain communal harmony at this critical juncture.
Bhunder also appealed to the Canadian government to ensure the safety of all persons of Indian origin as well as the safety of their places of worship.
“Everyone should have the right to free access to their religious places. It appears these acts of violence have been engineered as part of a larger conspiracy. The Canadian government should unmask the conspiracy behind these incidents,” he said.
The SAD Working President also urged the Canadian government to ensure the safety of Indian diplomats on Canadian soil. He also urged the Indian government to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of Indo-Canadians and make attempts at genuine reconciliation amongst both communities.
Responding to the incidents, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has expressed concern over the attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton, Canada, calling it "deeply concerning" during a press conference with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong at Parliament House, Canberra, on Tuesday.
“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was obviously deeply concerning. And, you would have seen the statement first by the official spokesperson and also the expression of concern by the Prime Minister yesterday. So, that should, I think, convey to you how deeply we feel about it,” Jaishankar said.