Canada Hindu temple priest suspended after batenge to katenge protest, reinstated

The Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada had suspended the priest who delivered a speech calling for Hindus to stand united after an attack by a Khalistani mob on devotees on Diwali weekend. However, after a review, the temple organisation reinstated him two days later.
The priest, now identified as Rajinder Parsad, had warned his community members “batoge to katoge” (division will bring annihilation).
“In Canada, too, Hindus need to be united… If you stay united, you will be saved,” he said in a viral video on social media.
The temple organisation said in a statement on November 7 that it hadn’t authorised priest Rajinder Parsad to “engage in the activities”. The statement also said that the organisation was reinstating him after reviewing the situation.
“The Hindu Sabha did not authorise or permit Priest Rajinder Parsad to engage in the activities which recently occurred. The Hindu Sabha had no prior knowledge of his involvement in these activities. Based on preliminary input, Priest Rajinder Parsad was suspended,” said Madhusudan Lama, the President of the Brampton temple in a statement on Thursday (November 7).
“As a result of further review, we have now reinstated Priest Rajinder Parsad to his duties and responsibilities at Hindu Sabha,” said the Thursday statement.
The Hindu Sabha temple suspended priest Prasad on November 5, two days after his speech at a protest by people of multiple faiths of the Indian community in Canada.
“Due to the controversial involvement of Hindu Sabha Priest Rajinder Parsad with the non-permitted protesters at Hindu Sabha premises on November 3, 2024, Hindu Sabha is suspending Rajinder Parsad with immediate effect,” said the statement undersigned by President Madhusudan Lama on Tuesday, November 5.
Taking to X, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said the priest was spreading “violent rhetoric”.
Priest Parsad was seen delivering a speech to the Indo-Canadian community members who had gathered on the temple’s premises to protest the attack on devotees inside the temple on November 3.
“This is not just an attack on any Hindu Sabha [Temple]; this is an attack on every Hindu around the world. That’s why the time has come for us to stop thinking only about ourselves and start thinking about our future generations,” he said after the Khalistani attack.
On November 3, a pro-Khalistani group barged into the Brampton temple premises and attacked the devotees with punches and sticks. Several videos circulating on social media appeared to show the attackers holding banners in support of Khalistan.
The protestors carrying Khalistani flags clashed with people and disrupted a consular event co-organised by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate.
The Peel Police personnel that were deployed outside the temple were also criticised for their mishandling of the attack and “bias”.
While Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, condemned the attack on Hindus, they did not call out the pro-Khalistan groups and did not even mention them.
India condemned the attack with an expectation that those indulging in violence “will be prosecuted”.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi remains “deeply concerned” about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada.