• Source:JND
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Amid the worsening India-Canada ties, the Opposition's Office has announced calling off the annual Diwali celebration for the Indo-Canadian community at Parliament Hill due to ongoing diplomatic tensions with India. The Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), a group representing the Indian diaspora and organisers of the event, received no explanation for the cancellation of the celebration that was scheduled for October 30.

Reportedly, the group in an open letter, raised concerns about the matter, claiming that there was "racial bias" on the part of Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre.

OFIC president Shiv Bhasker wrote a letter to Pierre Poilievre, expressing dismay over the decision.

In a letter to Pierre Poilievre, Bhasker wrote, "It is with extreme disappointment and in sadness that I am writing this letter to you to voice our dismay at the Office of the Leader of Opposition cancelling the 24th Diwali celebration on the Parliament Hill."

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"The failure of the politicians to attend this important cultural event, particularly at such a delicate time, sends a clear message to Indo-Canadians: that we are being viewed not as fellow Canadians but as outsiders who are somehow linked to the political actions of a country many of us have ancestral ties to but no direct connection with," the letter added.

This comes amid the growing tensions between India and Canada as Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged India's involvement in the killing of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Hindu Organisations React To Cancellation Of Diwali

The cancellation of Diwali by opposition leader Pierre Poilievre left the Hindu community distressed. The Hindu Forum in Canada says that the move sends a clear message of exclusion to the community.

"A move that sends a clear message of exclusion to a community deeply woven into Canada's cultural fabric. Diwali, a festival symbolizing light and unity, is celebrated worldwide, with leaders like US President Biden and astronaut Sunita Williams honoring it with great respect. Yet, CPC leader Pierre Poilievre has shown a concerning disregard for Canadian Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains. This decision is a politically motivated act of appeasement that dismisses a significant, vibrant part of Canadian society," a statement from the Hindu Forum said.