A disturbing incident of violence against Hindu-Canadian devotees at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada, has brought to light the escalating issue of Khalistani extremism in the country. The attack, which took place on Sunday, October 29, 2023, outside a consular camp organized in partnership with the Hindu Sabha Mandir, located near Toronto, has sparked widespread condemnation, including from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of religious freedom and wrote on social media, “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. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident.”
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Canada and the effectiveness of Canadian law enforcement in addressing the growing threat of Khalistani violence. The attack has also drawn significant backlash from political figures, including Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who has announced his plans to introduce a motion to the city council aimed at banning protests at places of worship.
“Places of worship should safe spaces that are free of violence and intimidation,” Mayor Brown wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “I have asked our City solicitor to look into the legality of such a by-law for our next scheduled meeting of City Council.”
The Indian High Commission in Canada condemned the “violent disruption” by ‘anti-India’ elements, calling it “deeply disappointing.” In a statement, the Commission also added that, “There were attempts to disrupt similar camps held in Vancouver and Surrey on November 2 and 3.”
The attack has been widely condemned by Canadian political leaders and Hindu organizations, including the Hindu Canadian Foundation, a non-profit organization working for the Hindu community in the country.
Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman strongly condemned the “violent disruption” and criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling the recent attack horrifying. He added, “It has crossed new lines…it is the first broad daylight attack on Hindu devotees in this country. The response from the Police was disgusting…this was utterly preventable…we see this all the time in Canada where the Police decide that they are going to enforce the law to the people who are most likely to listen to it…there is no part of Canadian govt, has taken their side in any of this…”
Bordman further criticized Prime Minister Trudeau, saying, “It is not good…you don’t know Justin Trudeau, there is one more year for him to go so brace yourself, it is going to get worse most likely. Hopefully, a new govt comes in and pulls out of a tailspin. A lot depends on the US Presidential election…”
“We have Justin Trudeau talk the talk, half the time…sometimes he openly endorses the terrorists but sometimes he talks the talk…but he never walks the walk…so till you see him take action, there is no reason to believe him…he will release some statements saying ‘it has no place here’. He will find some incredibly far left die-hard liberal Hindus and take pictures with them…”
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, while speaking to news agency ANI, said that the situation that has formed in Canada does not pertain to one particular religion. He added, “Be it Hindu or Sikh, PM Trudeau has divided everyone there…Khalistanis came outside religious places to disturb people in the festive season. Their Police seem to be standing in support of Khalistanis…These will not be tolerated. We will move against the Govt of Canada, wherever we have to approach…These people who are raising Khalistani slogans are on their payroll…”
Indian-American US Congressman Shri Thanedar said, “The Canadian govt is playing politics with this issue, they are trying to please certain minority groups in Canada, the attack against Hindus are purely terroristic acts. Canada govt’s protection of these terroristic activities needs to be deplored, it needs to be opposed. Hindu minorities in Canada, like Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, have rights, their human rights need to be protected…I have done a lot including putting pressure on the Biden administration to address these atrocities…”
Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya condemned the attack on the temple and said that a “red line has been crossed” by Khalistani extremists. Taking to X, he wrote, “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 Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada. I begin to feel that there is a small grain of truth in the reports that in addition to Canadian political apparatus, Khalistanis have effectively infiltrated into our law enforcement agencies.”
The incident has sparked outrage among the Hindu community in Canada and around the world. It has also raised concerns about the growing influence of Khalistani extremism in Canada and the potential for further violence against religious minorities. The Canadian government has been criticized for its perceived inaction in addressing the issue, with many accusing it of appeasing certain minority groups at the expense of the safety of others. This incident underscores the need for the Canadian government to take a stronger stance against Khalistani extremism and to ensure the safety and security of all its citizens, regardless of their religion or ethnicity.
