 "How vandalism at Hindu temples in Canada has risen")
An attack at a Hindu temple in Canada has again put the spotlight on the rising cases of violence targeting Hindu places of worship in the country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned the latest incident, while MP Chandra Arya blamed it on “Khalistani extremists”.
The violence at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, about 50 kilometres northwest of Toronto, is not an isolated case. Several temples have been vandalised in Canada in recent years, some with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti.
Let’s take a closer look.
Violence at Canada’s Hindu Sabha temple
Hindu-Canadian devotees were reportedly attacked at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on Sunday (November 3).
Videos circulated online show people carrying yellow Khalistan flags clashing with another set of individuals, including those holding Indian flags.
Speaking to AFP, a spokesman for the Peel Regional Police said no arrests were made and declined to assign blame for the violence during a protest. Heavy police deployment was made outside the Hindu Sabha temple to maintain calm.
The violence occurred during a visit by Indian consular officials to the temple, reported Indian Express.
Canadian PM Trudeau condemned the violence, calling it “unacceptable”. “The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely,” he wrote on X.
The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 3, 2024
Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsCanadian MP Chandra Arya, who is also a member of Trudeau’s Liberal Party, said Khalistani extremists have breached a “red line”.
“A red line has been crossed by Canadian Khalistani extremists today. The attack by Khalistanis on the Hindu-Canadian devotees inside the premises of the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton shows how deep and brazen has Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada (sic),” he posted on X along with a purported footage of the violence.
On Monday (November 4), the Indian High Commission in Ottawa flagged “violent disruptions” at a consular camp in the city of Brampton on Sunday. It blamed “anti-India elements” for the violence outside the camp co-organised with the Hindu Sabha Mandir.
“It is deeply disappointing that such disruptions were allowed to interfere with routine consular work conducted by our Consulates in full cooperation with local partners. We remain seriously concerned for the safety of applicants, including Indian nationals, who are the primary reason for these events. Despite these attempts by anti-India elements, our Consulate successfully issued over 1,000 life certificates to both Indian and Canadian applicants," it said in a statement.
Hindu temples targeted in Canada
Canada is witnessing a surge in anti-India and Hinduphobic incidents .
In July, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton was reportedly vandalised with anti-India graffiti, targeting PM Narendra Modi and Canadian MP Arya. This was the fourth incident since September 2022 in which a BAPS temple was targeted in Canada.
The Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce (CHCC), which promotes the interests of the Hindu business community in the North American country, had called on the Canadian government to take immediate steps to combat the “rising tide of Hinduphobia” and protect religious institutions and communities.
MP Chandra Arya, a Hindu, highlighted multiple anti-Hindu and anti-India incidents, including attacks on Hindu temples in the last few years, Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s public call last year for Hindus to return to India, and Khalistan supporters in Brampton and Vancouver celebrating former PM Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
“Again, let me put it on record. Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned. Like a broken record, I again call on Canadian law enforcement agencies to take this issue seriously before these rhetorics get translated into physical action against Hindu Canadians,” he said at the time.
Earlier in February, burglars targeted the Vaishno Devi Mandir in Oakville, looting a significant amount of cash from the donation boxes placed before the idols, ransacking offices and stealing other items.
Last December, shots were fired at the home of the son of the leader of a Metro Vancouver Hindu temple in British Columbia’s Surrey. Satish Kumar, president of Surrey’s Lakshmi Narayan Mandir temple, told CBC News at the time that his son reported a total of 11 bullet holes in his garage door and on the gate to his property.
In October 2023, Khalistan supporters drove a convoy of vehicles outside the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir during Navratri, featuring posters of Khalistani extremists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, as per Hindustan Times (HT). The procession also displayed Khalistani flags and promoted the ‘Kill India’ car rally.
Three temples saw break-ins in the Durham Region last October.
In August 2023, a Hindu temple was vandalised in British Columbia allegedly by Khalistani extremists, who put Khalistan referendum posters on the gate of the place of worship. The poster also had the image of Nijjar, who was killed last June.
The BAPS Swaminarayan temple was vandalised with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in Ontario’s Windsor last April. The police had launched a probe into the vandalism as a “hate-motivated incident”.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto had condemned the defacing of Ram Mandir in Mississauga with anti-India graffiti last February. “We have requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action on perpetrators,” it said in a tweet at the time.
In January 2023, the Gauri Shankar temple was vandalised in Brampton city with anti-India graffiti.
India has raised concerns about such incidents previously and called for action against the perpetrators.
With inputs from agencies
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