'Diwali celebration not cancelled, but rescheduled', Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre after controversy
Canada's opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has clarified that the Diwali celebration at Parliament Hill has not been cancelled, but has been rescheduled for another day at a different venue. The clarification came after Hindus in Canada expressed shock and disappointment over reports of Diwali celebrations at Parliament Hill being cancelled.
What Pierre Poilievre said
"To be clear, any suggestion that Mr. Poilievre has cancelled this event is patently false. This event has always been hosted by a member of the Conservative Caucus, this year being MP Doherty, and has never been organised by the Leader of the Opposition or his office. While there have been changes to the location and timing, MP Doherty will still be hosting an event to celebrate Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas in Ottawa with members of the South Asian community and the Conservative Caucus," a statement issued by his office read.
Earlier, the Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), the event's organiser, had claimed that they received no explanation for the cancellation of the Diwali celebration.
Exclusion of community: Hindu leaders
Hindu community leaders and Hindu organisations in Canada had written to Poilievre, terming the cancellation of the Diwali event as an exclusion of their community.
"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," OFIC president Shiv Bhasker said in his letter to Poilievre.
Hindus in Canada
According to the 2021 figures, there are over 828,000 Hindus in Canada, including first-generation migrants from India and those born in the country to Indian-origin parents. Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Canada, and Hindus make up 2.3% of the country's population.
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