Public figures warned of Vaisakhi parade controversy

CBC News
The City of Surrey has sent letters to politicians in various levels of government to warn them the annual Vaisakhi parade will once again feature controversial images.

On Monday, Surrey city manager Murray Dinwoodie sent a letter to politicians expressing the city's disappointment over the prospect of the Sikh parade on April 12 being the source of controversy.

Last year, Liberal, Conservative and New Democrat politicians who attended the parade faced political embarrassment after it was revealed a photo of alleged Air India bombing mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar was displayed on a float.

Several young people wearing International Sikh Youth Federation T-shirts, a group banned in Canada under the Anti-terrorism Act, also participated in the parade.

This year, parade organizers have promised there will be no photos of Parmar or any representations of the banned group.

But there will be graphic photos of people the organizers allege were killed at the hands of the Indian government on display inside a tent near the Dasmesh Darbar temple in Surrey.

There will also be photos of the Sikh bodyguards who assassinated Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and photos of Indian government officials considered enemies by some Sikh nationalists.

Parade organizer Parvkar Dulai said the display is meant to remind people of how Sikhs were treated in India and why there are calls for a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan.

"We're trying to educate our public and the mainstream that we are the victims. We're not the aggressors, we're not terrorist. We've been victimized and now we are being portrayed just so we keep our mouths shut," said Dulai.

Dulai acknowledges there are four or five images the city has a problem with, and he's hoping the issue will be resolved before Saturday's parade, but adds there is no Canadian law that can be used to prevent photos from being displayed.

With files from CBC reporter Meera Bains