Canadian MP Chandra Arya stands against motion to declare 1984 riots as genocide

TORONTO: Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament of Canada, shared his strong stance against a motion attempting to label the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide and said that he was the only MP present in the House of Commons to oppose the motion, blocking its passage.

The Canadian MP also highlighted the ongoing threats and pressure he faces for voicing concerns of the Hindu-Canadian community and warned that the “politically powerful Khalistani lobby” would likely attempt to push the motion again.

Sharing a post on X, Arya said, “Today, the Member of Parliament from Surrey-Newton attempted to have the Parliament declare the 1984 riots in India against Sikhs as a genocide. He sought unanimous consent from all Members in the House of Commons to pass his motion. I was the only Member present in the House to say NO, and my single objection was enough to prevent this motion from being approved”.

He added, “Immediately after this, I was threatened inside the parliament building for standing up and saying no. There have been several attempts, both within the parliament and outside, to stop me from freely and publicly voicing the concerns of Hindu-Canadians. While I am proud of having stopped this divisive agenda from succeeding today, we cannot afford to be complacent. Next time, we may not be as fortunate”.

Today, the Member of Parliament from Surrey-Newton attempted to have the Parliament declare the 1984 riots in India against Sikhs as a genocide.

He sought unanimous consent from all Members in the House of Commons to pass his motion.

I was the only Member present in the House… pic.twitter.com/wENlwUd234

— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) December 6, 2024

He further said that Khalistan might try to bring the motion forward again. “The politically powerful Khalistani lobby will undoubtedly try again to push for Parliament to label the 1984 riots as genocide. There is no guarantee I will be in the House to block it the next time any other Member, from any political party, attempts to bring this motion forward”, Arya said.

He urged Hindu-Canadians to actively engage with their MPs to ensure the motion is blocked in the future. “I urge all Hindu-Canadians to act now. Reach out to your local Members of Parliament and secure their commitment to oppose this motion whenever it arises. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India, which followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards, were undeniably barbaric”, the Canadian MP said.

Arya further condemned the loss of lives in the riots but emphasised that terming the riots as genocide would be “misleading and unjustified.” He said, “Thousands of innocent Sikhs lost their lives in those horrific events, and we all condemn this brutality without reservation. However, labelling these tragic and dreadful riots as a genocide is misleading and unjustified”.

He added, “Such an assertion fuels the agenda of anti-Hindu forces and risks driving a wedge between the Hindu and Sikh communities in Canada. We must not let these divisive elements succeed in their efforts to destabilize harmony. The only way to prevent Canada’s Parliament from declaring the 1984 riots as genocide is by ensuring that every MP — or at least a significant number of MPs — stand up and say NO when unanimous consent is sought”.

Expressing his support for safeguarding the Hindu community, Arya said, “Once again, I call upon Hindu-Canadians to reach out to your MPs and firmly request their opposition to this Khalistani-driven narrative. Let us stand united against this anti-Hindu agenda and safeguard our communities”. (ANI)