Hindu priest suspended for 'violent rhetoric' in Canada's Brampton, reinstated after being 'cleared of any wrongdoing'

Amid the ongoing tensions between Sikhs and Hindus in the Canadian city of Brampton, the Hindu Sabha has announced that a temple priest, who was earlier suspended for his alleged violent rhetoric, has been reinstated. According to the Hindu Canadian Foundation, the priest, Rajender Prasad, was reinstated after he was cleared of any wrongdoing.??

CREDIT: ANI

Hindu priest reinstated?

In a statement, the Hindu Sabha said that Prasad was not authorised or permitted by the organisation for his recent activities, due to which he was suspended.??

"However, following a thorough review, Prasad has been reinstated to his duties and responsibilities at Hindu Sabha," the statement said.??

'Mayor tarnished Hindu priest's reputation'

While making the announcement, the Hindu Canadian Foundation also accused Brampton's Mayor, Patrick Brown, of tarnishing the priest's reputation by posting about him on official accounts without evidence or proper inquiry.??

What happened at the Hindu Sabha temple

In a video that had gone viral on social media in the wake of the protests that erupted in Brampton after pro-Khalistani groups disrupted an event organised by the Indian Consulate at the Hindu Sabha temple last week, the priest was allegedly seen making 'violent threats'.??

What?Hindu Forum said

However, according to the Hindu Forum for Canada, the priest was interrupted and other people started to speak, which was then misinterpreted as hateful rhetoric attributed to the priest himself.??

"Multiple video recordings from various angles confirm that Hindus were gathered peacefully within their place of worship—a right protected under Canadian law—and were simply exercising their freedom to assemble," it said.??

CREDIT: ANI

The tensions between Sikhs and Hindus in Canada come at a time when India and Canada are involved in an unprecedented stand-off over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada has accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar, who was shot dead in June 2023, in British Columbia. India, which has rejected the allegations, has accused Canada of harbouring Khalistani terrorists in the country.

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