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A viral clip of individuals dressed as Hindu deities chanting slogans inside a Brampton supermarket divides netizens over public decorum and cultural pride.
‘Stop The Racist Panic’: ‘Jai Shri Ram’ Chants In A Canada Grocery Store Divides Internet | Video
Social media is once again a battleground for a fierce debate regarding how the Indian diaspora expresses its culture abroad. A new viral video showing individuals dressed in elaborate costumes as Lord Ram, Sita, and Hanuman—alongside another person chanting “Jai Shri Ram” inside a packed grocery store in Brampton, Canada—has taken X (formerly Twitter) by storm.
The original poster uploaded the video with a highly provocative caption: “Indians take over grocery store in Brampton, Canada and start chanting Hindu slogans. Literally everyone is Indian.”
Within hours, the clip had thousands of views and also opened up a complex conversation about immigrant identity, public space etiquette, and racial double standards.
“It’s No Different From Having A Santa”
A massive section of the internet immediately rushed to defend the individuals in the video. Supporters pointed out that Brampton is famously home to a massive South Asian population, and the venue itself was an Indian ethnic supermarket celebrating a festive occasion. For them, framing a community celebrating their heritage as an “invasion” is a massive stretch.
One user shut down the alarmist narrative by stating: “This is just Indians shopping at an Indian grocery store in Brampton and chanting slogans not ‘taking over’ Canada 😂 It’s their community space. Most Indians there succeed big: highest median incomes, dominating tech & medicine, low crime. Normal cultural expression ≠ invasion. Stop the racist panic”
Others pointed out the obvious hypocrisy in how different seasonal religious traditions are perceived in Western retail spaces: “It’s an Indian grocery store in Brampton. How is this any different from any retail store having a Santa or Easter bunny at the store for holidays?”
Another user kept it entirely brief, questioning the shock value of the video given the location:”In a Indian store you will see Indian .. you were expecting Russian or Pakistani ???”
For some casual observers, the lively displays are a welcome change of pace from standard, monotonous shopping routines, with one user noting:
“I kind of like this. It’s brightens up and otherwise boring day”
Now why the fuck are they doing this in a grocery store .. what kind of self complex urges them to convert every activity into a school fancy dress show performance . Either they’re chanting slogans or dancing in public . https://t.co/gyX5KlznSw— Sherry 🍁 (@CherieDamour_) June 2, 2026
“This S**t Is Embarrassin”
However, the defense was met with equal pushback, interestingly from many fellow Indian diaspora members. For this group, bringing loud political or religious sloganeering into a commercial retail space crosses the line of civic decorum. Expressing deep frustration over how such viral clips impact the global perception of all Indian immigrants, one user wrote:
“God I’m always so sick of these people man being an India myself this shit is embarrassin. I truly agree and understand why foreigners hate us and assume the whole country is one and same when we’re not and it takes so much to show that all r not like this cos LUK AT DIS CLOWNERY”
Another critic questioned the constant need to turn mundane everyday environments into performative spectacles: “Now why the f**k are they doing this in a grocery store .. what kind of self complex urges them to convert every activity into a school fancy dress show performance . Either they’re chanting slogans or dancing in public .”
With tensions around immigration and cultural integration being heavily discussed on social media, some users even called for bans of this kind of display in public spaces: “How can this be banned.. Canada government should take action on Indians behalf.. So embarrassing”
About the Author
Mallika Bhagat is a Deputy News Editor at News18, where she leads the Lifestyle and Viral desks. A seasoned journalist and content strategist, she brings a decade of high-impact experience from India’…Read More
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