Amid outrage over disrespectful depiction, Toronto university not to screen 'Kaali' movie

Amid outrage over the controversial poster, Toronto university has decided not to screen the 'Kaali' movie. The movie by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai was to be shown at "Under the tent" project at the Aga Khan Museum and was organized by Toronto metropolitan university's Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration or CERC Migration.

In response to a WION question, CERC Migration said, "We recognize the short film has caused sensitivities and have no plans to show it again at this time." The development comes amid members of the Hindu community, both in India and Canada expressing anger over the disrespectful depiction of the Hindu deity.

Both CERC Migration and Aga Khan Museum extended regrets over the development. The Aga Khan Museum in a statement said that the video from the Under the tent project "inadvertently caused offence to members of the Hindu and other faith communities." CERC Migration acknowledged the "need to explore and examine complex topics sensitively."

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa had also issued a strongly worded statement even as the Indian Consulate General in Toronto conveyed the concerns to the organizers of the event. The Indian mission had called on the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw "all such provocative material".

Meanwhile, in another matter, the city of Toronto has apologised to Sikh group after the ‘clean-shave policy" led to around 100 Sikh men being expelled from job. The policy that was put in place earlier this year amid the covid crisis required employees to be clean-shaven as part of the proper fitting of masks.

The city of Toronto in a statement said that it "apologizes to the World Sikh Organization of Canada for any delay in addressing this issue and ensuring security contractors were offering religious accommodations.". The city has also immediately permitted “under-mask beard covers” ( Singh Thattha Method) as a reasonable accommodation option for individuals who maintain facial hair as a tenet of their faith. In a tweet-statement World Sikh Org "recognised" the city of Toronto's actions to address and remedy the no beard policy.

Canada hosts one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, numbering 1.6 million (PIOs and NRIs) which account for more than 4% of its total population. In the field of politics, in particular, the present House of Commons (total strength of 338) has 22 Members of Parliament of Indian origin.