In light of escalating diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has decided to cancel the annual Diwali celebration that was set to take place on Parliament Hill. This move has sparked discontent among Indo-Canadians, with many expressing feelings of betrayal and exclusion.
Shiv Bhasker, president of Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), an organization responsible for hosting the event, wrote a letter to the opposition’s office expressing disappointment over the cancellation. Bhasker noted that for over two decades, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs across Canada have gathered to celebrate Diwali together, sharing the festive occasion with their Canadian compatriots.
Bhasker emphasized that this decision, set against the backdrop of India-Canada diplomatic friction, has left the community feeling “betrayed and unfairly singled out.” He added that the absence of political leaders at such a significant cultural event sends a message that Indo-Canadians are viewed as “outsiders” rather than as full-fledged Canadians.
He further stated that this situation has exposed underlying systemic biases and that political leaders distancing themselves from Diwali festivities could be perceived as signaling that Canadians of Indian descent are somehow “less Canadian” due to their heritage.
In light of these sentiments, the community has called for an apology, characterizing the move as “insensitive and discriminatory.”
The tension between India and Canada escalated when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian government was involved in the assassination of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and had interfered in Canadian elections. India has strongly refuted these accusations, dismissing them as “absurd.”
Meanwhile, in the U.S., President Joe Biden recently held a Diwali celebration at the White House, hosting over 600 prominent Indian Americans, further spotlighting the different approaches to celebrating Indian cultural events in North America.
