Canadian MP Melissa Lantsman backs plea seeking recognition of ‘Hinduphobia’

Member of Parliament (MP) Melissa Lantsman has backed a petition to Canada’s House of Commons seeking the inclusion of “Hinduphobia” in the glossary of terms in the Human Rights Code to describe anti-Hindu prejudice and discrimination. The plea has sought to define “Hinduphobia” as denial, negation, prejudice, or vilification against Hindus, Hinduism, or Hinduness and to raise awareness and address systemic and “institutional Hinduphobia”.

Vijay Jain, a resident of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) town of Brampton, initiated the petition on July 19. The plea will remain on the House of Commons site until October 17 under the Civil and Human Rights category. Over 4,500 people have signed the petition. It is at the top of the list of open petitions on the site.

Jain said they seek to have “Hinduphobia” addressed in a meaningful way. “Launching the petition and getting the community’s signature is a democratic process. It is a mechanism to get the community’s voice heard.” Jain said the petition would have gathered more support if people were aware that it entailed a two-step process including validation of signatures.

The petition cites the “attacks on Hindu temples” and says it has made Hindus feel “unsafe in their places of worship”. It also refers to “growing negative stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination at work, in schools, and in the communities”.

Ruchi Wali, a supporter of the plea, said she wants larger support for the petition so that it leads to laws to combat “Hinduphobia”. “Once it becomes a law and policy, the government will be able to support the development of educational and training materials to educate Canadians about Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu sentiment.”

The petition was moved days after signage at Brampton’s Shri Bhagavad Gita Park was vandalised on July 14.

In a tweet, the Official City of Brampton said it was “deeply disappointed” over the vandalism targeting a park sign, “which is an attack on a faith community”. It described the act as one of “intolerance and discrimination.”

At least seven instances of desecration of Hindu temples have been reported in the GTA alone since July last year.

In April, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the principal opposition Conservative Party, told Prime Asia that they have to stop “Hinduphobia” and nasty comments that are made about Hindus and the vandalism and other violence targeting Hindu Canadians. “This is totally unacceptable.”

Liberal Party MP Chandra Arya told the House of Commons in January that like Islamophobia and anti-Semitism resulting in hate crimes against mosques and synagogues causing pain to Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters, Hindu Canadians were experiencing the same pain due to rising Hinduphobia.