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Surrey Hindu Temple Demands Apology from MLA Rachna Singh
3-12-2019
Temple accused the Pakistani Media of celebrating, “People are celebrating” after the Pulwama attack.
On March 8, The Board and Council Members of Vedic Hindu Cultural Society of BC (VHCS-BC) held a Media Conference at 1PM to “protest and strongly oppose the statement by Rachna Singh, NDP MLA, which she made to the PRESS after her visit for Candle Light Vigil and Shanti Path to pay homage to the sons of India who are martyred in Pulwama Attack.”
Secretary Vinay Sharma requested President Satish Kumar to read his statement to the various South Asian media that were present.
Kumar Stated, “We are very disturbed by the action of MLA Rachna Singh, she has chosen to issue an ill conceived statement about the Hindu people selectively to the media at large…She has accused the Hindu community of advocating violence against other community. That is completely a fabrication of the facts.
On the contrary rather than offering her condolences to the soldiers and calling, spade a spade by condemning the culprits, and the country Pakistan…. She tried to talk in diplomatic language…We strongly condemn her ultra leftist agenda… She failed as her responsibility as an MLA… Hindus are peaceful loving and law-abiding citizens and uphold Canadian values of law, respect and inclusiveness. We the management & the members of the community stand united for the integrity of our work and country, India and demand her apology and ask her to withdraw her past statements. We also request other MLA’S and NDP party leadership to take the seriousness of growing anger in the public minds with various comments in social media about her current and past behaviour. Her arrogant behaviour is causing deep anguish and distrust with the current government the NDP.”
When the Media Asked, “What statement are you referring to? Kumar could not answer which statement and said she tried to do peaceful thing but people get upset...may 5-6 people from 200 to 300 people that were gathered there. But reiterated that India’s PM Modi said “those who did this (Pulwama) should be punished”
Founding Member Parshotam Goyal said all the people gathered wanted some decisive action after Pulwana, and accused Rachna Singh of diplomatic double speak and stated, “Rachna Speak has failed because she went to the media”, and “Her ultra leftist mindset is not acceptable.”
They accused the Pakistani Media of celebrating, “People are celebrating” after the Pulwama attack. If Rachna comes and tells us “don’t be grieved”, “We are not mad at the Pakistani Community”, at the same time “state sponsored terrorism is not acceptable. Either she is with us or not with us. We stand with the unity and integrity with India and whoever is going to challenge we are going to stand against them.”
Goyal demanded the arrest of Hafez Saeed and stated that China is blocking calling Azhar Masood a terrorist. He also accused Pakistan of blackmailing USA of Billions of Dollars while “Osama Bin Laden was found in Pakistan.”
When asked who among the dignitaries were present at the event when the alleged statement were made, Parshotam Goyal replied Smt. Abhilasha Joshi Consul General of India, and The asst. Consul General along with Jiiny Simms MLA and Harpreet Singh.
About the Statement “Blood for Blood” President Kumar stated that no one from the temple or on the stage made such comments.
Parshotam Goyal, stated, “People were charged up, and emotionally very much disturbed, they felt offended and they reacted to that. The Parshotam Goyal further elaborates that in the past 20 years she has never spoken against any outrageous statements in the past and she was expected to call Spade a spade. She does not want to because of her political compulsion to please her vote bank. That’s the way we read it and feel offended by it.”
One person from the audience stood up and mentioned “That this area has many Muslim votes and she is bringing Pakistani into it purposefully, at the peace rally mostly Pakistani people came there, and nobody from Sikh or Hindu were there, and she is trying to make brownie points for Muslim votes.”
The President also said that if Rachna had any issues she should have mentioned it to the management before going to the media.
Secretary Vinay Sharma in his closing remarks mentioned that all peace loving people should condemn terrorism.
Earlier according to the CBC article by Jon Hernandez - -A leader at the congregation told CBC News that it was only a small number of people at the event that were calling "for revenge," but the community at large is hoping for a peaceful resolution.
The Conflicting views and narrative by the temple management is not helping to ease the tensions within the local community. This is what Rachna was trying to highlight in her comments when she said, “Fortunately, Indian and Pakistani immigrants in my riding have always enjoyed a cordial relationship. They have come together to denounce terrorism and violence in any form.”
One thing that stands out from the press meeting is that the management is no mood to forgive Rachna Singh and they will pursue other avenues to demand her to withdraw her comments. They did highlight that the Hindu community is upset and will put pressure on the NDP Govt. and other MLA’s to take some action against Rachna.
It must be noted that one member from the audience stood up and said that the rally held for peace in Surrey hardly had any Hindu members in attendance signals that are not ready for a dialogue for peace although they do claim we want peace. Their actions so far has shown otherwise.
The management has repeated their call for Rachna, BCNDP and the Canadian Govt. during the press meeting to condemn the “Pakistani Establishment” yet failed to condemn in clear words the atrocities committed by the State Govt of India in Kashmir and ongoing attacks and mob lynching of minorities in India.
It must be stated that Laxmi Narayan mandir also hosted India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 visit to Surrey.
"Mr. Modi is a rock star," said Aditya Tawatia, a Vancouver-based organizer for Modi's party to CBC at that time.
Modi has been blamed by international media for orchestrating and being an accomplice in the 2002 Gujrat riots which happened while he was chief minister of the state and the subsequent murder of thousands of Muslims in Gujrat, which is known as the Gujrat Massacre.
It is estimated that at least 250 Muslim women were gang-raped and then burnt alive in the aftermath of the Gujrat carnage.
It is alarming to see that a Canadian Charitable organization has now become a mouth peace for India’s BJP here in Surrey.
The temple management has shown utter disrespect to the Canadian shared values of respect for each other and communalizing Rachna Singh’s call for peace between Indian and Pakistanis leaving here. Instead of being disgusted and denouncing, the comments and issuing apology for comments made by their members at their venue in their presence of high officials of Indian consulate they have chosen to shoot the messenger of Peace. Their actions are in stark contrast to all those Indians and Pakistanis who are living in harmony in Canada.
Footnotes: Footnotes: Picture: Leaders from the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society held a news conference criticizing MLA Rachna Singh for what they called 'ill-conceived' remarks about the Hindu community. (Jon Hernandez/CBC) Video Facebook Gurpreet Singh Sahota
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