This sudden cancellation of the annual Diwali event for the Indo-Canadian community at Parliament Hill has caused fears and accusations of discrimination across Canada under Justin Tredeau. Relations between Canada and India were already strained following the Canadian government’s alleged killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the summer. This certainly had amplified the community’s reactions. As Canada bans Diwali celebrations, it is signifying what they view as a shift in support for Indo-Canadians during a complex time in Canada-India relations.
Overseas Friends of India Canada, which organized the event, expressed deep disappointment over the lack of clarity regarding the cancellation. OFIC President Shiv Bhasker said the event had been held annually for over two decades as a bonding activity of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. Bhasker says this is an insensitive decision, he explained that for most Indo-Canadians, withdrawal at this last moment creates the perception that Canada bans the celebrations of Diwali, thereby shrinking the communities’ feeling of belonging.
Canada bans Diwali celebrations: OFIC says it is discrimination
The OFIC sounded the alarm over what it deemed as systemic discrimination by the lack of support coming from political leaders in Canada. Bhasker, mentioning the cancellation, indicated that more pervasive racial biases may be involved. It reiterates a division in which Indo-Canadians stand out from the rest of the country. He said that such exclusion would only fuel a feeling of marginalization among them to ask if they are outsiders in their own country.
The organization has implored Canadian leaders to acknowledge and act on the implications of the decision, an apology and concrete action toward inclusive cultural representation. OFIC insists that no Canadian community should feel relegated to second-class status based on heritage or cultural practice, but the abrupt end to events such as these only enforces the notion that Canada bans Diwali celebrations at a time when unity is paramount.
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