Indian-origin Canadian leader reveals he was sexually abused as child
Toronto: Canada's Indian-origin opposition leader Jagmeet Singh has revealed that he was sexually abused by his taekwondo teacher when he was 10 years old and said it is one of his regrets in life that he kept quiet about the assault.
The 40-year-old Sikh leader of New Democratic Party in his memoir said the abuse took place in 1980s while he was growing up in Windsor, Ontario, the Global News reported.
Singh created political history in Canada last month when he made his debut in the House of Commons, the lower of house of Parliament, as the first non-white leader of a major opposition party in the country.
In his book, 'Love and Courage: My Story of Family, Resilience and Overcoming the Unexpected', he said the instructor - who he only refers to as Mr N - offered him personal classes at his home dojo. He said his instructor has since died.
As a kid, I was so embarrassed and ashamed of what happened, I didn't talk to anyone about it, Singh told the channel.
And it wasn't until almost a decade later that I spoke to another human being about it. The first time I heard the words that it wasn't my fault was something that just cracked open my heart. Singh said he doesn't think the coach was ever charged.
One of my regrets in my life is I didn't come forward when he was alive. Maybe I would have been able to give some closure to other folks and maybe prevent something from happening in the future, he added.
Singh said he hopes his book will help others who have been abused to speak up and realise it's not their fault.
A part of writing this book is a way for me to make up for something that I regret that I didn't come forward (about) and maybe help other people have the courage to come forward if that's right for them, but most importantly, to have people heal, for them to know it's not their fault, he said.
In his memoir, the Sikh leader also wrote about racism and bullying he faced during his childhood.
Singh, who lived in South Windsor from the age of seven to 23, recounted how one boy during recess asked if he was brown because he didn't shower, and how another boy whispered: Dirty. Then he was attacked from behind, he said.
Suddenly I felt my topknot being pulled and then a hard shove knocking me to the ground almost simultaneously, he writes.
Singh said that his family was torn apart by his father's alcoholism. After hitting rock bottom, and after unsuccessful stints at some of the best rehab centres in the world, his father's life was saved at Windsor's Brentwood Recovery Home.
He was elected in federal by-elections held on February 25.
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Goa nightclub fire: Owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Phuket after tragedy, say police
Panaji (PTI): Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the main accused and owners of the Goa nightclub where a massive blaze claimed 25 lives, fled to Phuket hours after the tragedy, Goa Police said on Monday.
"Goa Police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of the CBI to apprehend both Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra at the earliest," a senior police officer said.
A massive fire at the nightclub, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji, on late Saturday night killed 25 persons. The deceased comprised 20 employees of the nightclub and five tourists, including four from Delhi. Five injured people were undergoing treatment at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
After registering an FIR against them, a Look Out Circular was issued against them by December 7 by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) at the request of the Goa Police.
The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, and it was found that both the accused had taken the 6E 1073 flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, immediately after the fire incident, which occurred around midnight, the officer said.
READ ALSO: Goa nightclub fire: Owner Saurabh Luthra expresses grief, assures management support
He said the Goa Police had immediately dispatched a team to Delhi to conduct raids on the addresses of the accused Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra.
"Since they were not available, a notice under the appropriate sections of law was pasted on the gate of their house. This shows their intent to avoid the police investigation", he said.
Goa Police have obtained transit remand of Bharat Kohli, an employee of the club, and are bringing him to Goa.
He also said that the postmortem on all 25 deceased has been completed and bodies handed over to their families.
