I am writing as your constituent and a supporter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America - Canada (CoHNA Canada) to express profound grief and outrage over the horrific terror attack1 that took place in Pahalgam, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, and urge you to take the actions outlined below.
In this brutal assault, at least 26 men, almost all Hindus, were murdered by Islamist terrorists. Survivors confirmed that victims were singled out after their religious identity was verified—via ID checks and even physical examinations for circumcision which is not common in Hindu men. The group that has claimed responsibility for the carnage is an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba2, a Pakistan-based Islamist outfit that carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks among others, and is designated as a terrorist organization by Canada3 as well as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India and the United Nations.
The Pahalgam massacre is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader trend of anti-Hindu hate. From the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus in 1990 to the ongoing persecution of Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even parts of India like West Bengal, anti-Hindu hate continues to be a stain on the moral fabric of our shared humanity. Worse still, it has long been minimized or outright denied by international institutions, media, the academia, and human rights organizations. The Pahalgam attack is yet another tragic chapter in a much larger, deeply entrenched pattern of Hinduphobia4.
In light of this atrocity, I urge you to:
- Publicly condemn the attack and express solidarity with the victims and their families
- Acknowledge and address the rising tide of anti-Hindu hate, including incidents within Canada
- Support the initiation of a parliamentary hearing to discuss the plight of Kashmiri Hindus
- Designate Pakistan as a Foreign State Supporter of Terrorism under the State Immunity Act
Further, I’d like to request a meeting with you or your staff members to discuss this issue in greater depth and explore concrete steps to stem anti-Hindu hate.
Your leadership is crucial in ensuring that such acts of terror are met with unequivocal condemnation and that steps are taken to prevent future tragedies. We must stand together in upholding the values of peace, justice, and human dignity.
Thank you for your urgent attention and action on this matter.
References
1. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/kashmir-pahalgam-deadly-attack-1.7515399
2. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/kashmir-resistance-group-that-claimed-attack-tourists-indian-kashmir-2025-04-23/
3. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/crrnt-lstd-ntts-en.aspx
4. https://cohna.org/heinous-terror-attack-kashmir-anti-hindu-hate/
