Indians at a consular camp in Brampton, Ontario, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. The consular camp witnessed “violent disruptions” on Sunday as per Indian High Commission in Canada.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The prime ministers of India and Canada swiftly condemned the violence that broke out on Sunday at a Hindu temple in Brampton, near Toronto at a time of escalating diplomatic tensions between the countries.
Videos posted on social media appeared to show people with Khalistani flags hitting devotees there, which actually disrupted a consular event being held.
The incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023 in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies.
Police said there were demonstrations at multiple locations in the region. Sikh activists said one demonstration was at a Hindu temple where pro-Khalistan activists protested the presence of Indian diplomats and another was at a Sikh temple.
Khalistan refers to a Sikh homeland activists want carved out of Punjab.
According to Statistics Canada, in the period between 2014 to 2023, there have been 37 attacks against persons of Indian, Pakistani, or South Asian descent and two officially reported targeted attacks on Hindus in the country.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad Canada (VHP Canada) website, however, lists a number of incidents that have targeted Hindus in the North American country.
Among these incidents is Khalistani organisation Sikhs For Justice (SJF) leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's video message in 2023 where he threatened Hindus to leave Canada and go to India.
The VHP Canada website also says that since 2022, there have been more than 20 cases of vandalism at Hindu temples in Canada.
It also cited the glorification of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's bodyguards, who assassinated her, as 'martyrs' during a parade in the City of Brampton.
Amid the nosedive in relations between Ottawa and New Delhi, Kamalpreet Khera, who is an India-born Canadian member of Justin Trudeau's Cabinet, had put out a message on November 1 on her official website. November is celebrated as 'Hindu Heritage Month' in Canada.
Her statement reveals there are around 8 lakh 30 thousand Hindus in Canada at the moment.
Her statement says, "Since 1903, when the first Hindu immigrants arrived in Canada, Hindu Canadians have made invaluable contributions to our country. They have enriched every facet of society, from the arts and sciences to medicine, teaching and politics."
She further adds, "Our government is committed to safeguarding the right of communities to worship safely and is doing whatever it takes to protect everyone living in Canada."
The one notable step Canada has taken after the recent attack at the Brampton temple is suspending a police official who had taken part in a Khalistani protest.
Three individuals have also been arrested.
Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown, has said that he is considering bringing a legislation which would ban protests outside places of worship.
Relations between India and Canada hit rock bottom after Trudeau, in the country's parliament, directly accused Indian agents of killing a Canadian citizen on their soil without any proof.
Diplomatic tensions followed, with both countries expelling the other's diplomats soon after Trudeau's accusations.
Later, Canada named India's High Commissioner to the country Sanjay Verma as a 'person of interest' in Nijjar's murder. The Trudeau government even went on to name Indian Home Minister Amit Shah in the case and also alleged that Indian agencies worked with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to target Khalistani elements in the country.
With Reuters inputs