Saturday, March 29, 2025
Jalandhar – Supporters of New Zealand’s Brian Tamaki group justify blocking a Sikh Nagar Kirtan procession, claiming Sikhs receive special legal exemptions. This comes amid rising rhetoric against Sikhs, Hindus, and other faiths as 2026 general elections loom.
Rhetoric targeting non-Christian religions has intensified in New Zealand. Beyond Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church—which recently halted a Sikh Nagar Kirtan—the New Zealand New Nations Party’s Facebook page spars with Indian communities.
Elections are slated for 2026 (date TBD), but Sikhs are already in the crosshairs. A Tamaki supporter, who first opposed the Nagar Kirtan on the “New Zealand Haka” page, said: “Many oppose the haka. They don’t know what they’re saying. They’re crazy.”
The supporter clarified: “We’re not protesting Sikhs—we oppose Khalistani flags, dual laws in one country, and rising foreigner numbers.”
Anti-government factions stoke religious divides to build momentum:
Traffic Rule Exemptions: Allegations that Sikhs get leniency—e.g., no helmet required for cycling at speeds under 50 km/h due to turbans.
Weapons Allowance: Claims Sikhs can carry kirpans (ceremonial knives) anywhere as a religious symbol, unlike others.
Mass Immigration: Critics call it an “invasion,” with large temples and 50-foot statues popping up, eroding local culture.
A Tamaki supporter performing a haka protest said: “Haka is New Zealand culture. This opposes mass immigration and leaders changing our laws for foreigners.”
Supporters decry streets filled with Khalistan flags—seen in India as a terrorist group—and statues of deities. “You can’t bring your country’s struggles here; the government does nothing.”
One video rant: “Sikhs have their own cycling laws—no helmets under 50 km/h due to turbans. They get religious exemptions denied to others. One day, everywhere will have 50-foot Indian statues, just like mosques calling prayers five times a day.”
Locals insist it’s not anti-Sikh but against double standards.
Auckland resident Brent Douglas on the New Nations Party page: “Whether you support Brian Tamaki and Destiny Church stopping the South Auckland Nagar Kirtan or not, they’ve highlighted real Sikh-related issues in NZ.”
He added: “I have many Indian friends who live as Kiwis, not like Indians from India. No racism against Sikhs—opposition is to government double standards.”
Douglas worries about rising Khalistani flags: “Terrorist group flags on our roads? We protested those, not religious ones. Sikhs carry kirpans anywhere for faith; others can’t. They claim it’s blunt and for self-defense—can’t have both.”
