Canada: Mob Attacks Hindu Temple; Pro Khalistan Members Accused (X image @AmarJit_IFS)
Ottawa, Canada: Canada deployed heavy police force at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, after dispute reported accusing Sikh activists. In videos that went viral on social media, men were seen breaching the gates and attacking people inside the temple complex.
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the violence “Unacceptable”. No arrest have been made, and police also declined to assign blame for the reported violence, a spokesman for the Peel Regional Police told AFP.
The attack came amidst the ongoing clash between India and Canada over the latter claim that Indian government officials are involved in the killing of pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Najjar, a Canadian citizen.
Both the countries have expelled diplomats. Late week, Ottawa named New Delhi as a cyberthreat adversary, suggesting that state-sponsored actors could be spying against it. India called this move another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India internationally.
Also Read: India Warns Canada On ‘Absurd, Baseless’ Claims, Alleges Surveillance Of Officials
Canada also accused India of directing a broad campaign targeting Sikh activists on Canadian soil, which the country says has included intimidation, threats and violence.
This is not the first time a Hindu temple has been attacked in Canada. In 2023, a temple in Windsor suffered defacement with anti-India graffiti, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for action from both Canadian and Indian officials.
Responding to the incident, Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said he would end the environment of chaos in Canada. Taking to his X account, he wrote, “Completely unacceptable to see violence targeting worshippers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today… All Canadians should be free to practice their faith in peace. Conservatives condemn this violence unequivocally. I will unite our people and end the chaos”.
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Canada MP Chandra Arya of Trudeau’s Liberal party said the incident showed how “deep and brazen” violent extremism has become in Canada. “Hindu-Canadians, for the security and safety of our community, need to step up and asserts their rights and hold politicians accountable”, he wrote. He also alleged that extremist elements have infiltrated both the political apparatus and law enforcement agencies of Canada
Patrick Brown, the Mayor of Brampton, called for punishment to the “greatest extent of law” for those held accountable for the violence. “Religious freedom is a foundational value in Canada. Everyone should feel safe in their place of worship,” he wrote in a post on X.
