Canada, December 10:
The rise in racial and hate crimes targeting Sikhs, especially those wearing turbans and beards, has raised alarm in India, particularly among parents of children studying or working in Canada. Recent incidents of murder have further heightened concerns within the Sikh community.
Increase in Racial Attacks in Canada
Historian and renowned professor Kunal points out that racial violence in Canada dates back to 1907, when the Bellingham Race Riots primarily targeted Sikhs. The 1914 Komagata Maru incident, in which 376 Indian passengers, mostly Sikhs, were denied entry into Canada and forced to return to India, further fueled anti-immigrant sentiments. Although such incidents subsided for a period, they are now rising again, sparking widespread concern.
Punjabi Community Distressed by Recent Events
Prominent Canadian writer Sukhvinder Singh Chohla expresses that the Punjabi community is deeply worried about the escalating incidents. The regularity of such events is alarming, and it’s natural for the Sikh community to be concerned. Many young Punjabis moved to Canada seeking better job opportunities and brighter futures. In 2019, Canadian MP and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was targeted by a racist tweet from People’s Party of Canada candidate Mark Friesen, where Singh’s turban was depicted as a bomb, which was widely condemned by organizations such as Canada’s Anti-Hate Network.
Parents Feeling the Pain
Balwant Singh, whose children have settled in Canada for education, says that while his family was initially excited about their new life there, these recent violent incidents have left him devastated. He added, “A 20-year-old who is working hard should not be shot dead while doing his job.”
Recent Murder Incidents in Canada:
- Two brothers from Nandpur village in Tarn Taran were shot by assailants in Brampton, Canada. One brother, Preetpal, died on the spot, while the other is hospitalized.
- Harshandeep Singh, a 20-year-old security guard in Edmonton, was shot and killed at his workplace.
- Gurasees Singh, 22, from Ludhiana, was stabbed to death by his roommate in Sarnia, Canada.
- Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot dead in Vancouver.
- In September, a 22-year-old Sikh, Jashndeep Singh Mann, was killed with a sharp weapon in downtown Edmonton.
- A Sikh man, Harpreet Singh Uppal, and his 11-year-old son were shot and killed in Edmonton.
- A 24-year-old Sikh, Sanraj, was found dead in Alberta with gunshot wounds on his body.
- Harpreet Kaur was brutally murdered.
- A 21-year-old Canadian Sikh woman, Pavanpreet Kaur, was shot dead in Ontario.
- Prabhjot Singh Khatri, a 23-year-old Indian Sikh from Nova Scotia, was killed with a knife.
- Jaskaran Singh, who had come to Canada on a study visa two years ago, was murdered.
- Manjot Singh, 25, was killed under suspicious circumstances.
These rising violent attacks have left the Sikh community in Canada fearing for their safety, with growing calls for authorities to address the issue urgently.
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