Canadian Sikh influencer under fire after performing Bhangra, uses school shooting to promote magazine: ‘Deport him to India’

A Canadian Sikh influencer has sparked a debate after posting a video of himself dancing and promoting his new magazine following the deadly school shooting in Tableau Ridge, British Columbia.Gurdeep Pandher shared this video on social media, showing himself performing the bhangra dance. He said the purpose of the performance was to “transmit hope across borders.”Pendel has been described as a Canadian “activist writer.”“A wave of grief sweeps across Canada, both in the news and at the dinner table. Hearts are heavy, emotions are raw, and shared openly. Yet in our darkest moments, joy emerges, both as a solace and as a spiritual balm—a ray of light that can heal what words cannot. In that spirit, I offer this video: a little bit of light that can carry hope across borders and mend the brokenness within us.” In addition to the video, he promoted his publication, The Gurdeep Magazine, writing: “This winter I brought to life something that had been living in my imagination for years – the first annual print issue of The Gurdeep Magazine. It contains writing from other contributors as well as my own work. If you feel the need to hold this warm typography in your hands, visit Gurdeep.ca/magazine. “Given the timing, this post didn’t go over well on the internet. The message was later deleted from X. Social media users said Pendel’s decision to promote his magazine in the wake of the tragedy was insensitive.

social media reaction

The mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Middle School on Tuesday, in which 18-year-old transgender man Jesse Van Rootselaar was killed, sparked backlash. Van Rootselaar first shot his mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at their home, then went to the school and opened fire, killing five students and a teacher. He later committed suicide on the spot.