- Tuesday, November 05, 2024
Unverified videos circulating on social media appears to show individuals carrying yellow Khalistan flags clashing with people at a Hindu temple in Brampton
By: Shajil Kumar
AMID a diplomatic row between India and Canada, a Hindu temple in Brampton came under attack on Sunday and miscreants tried to disrupt a consular camp organised by the Indian high commission near the temple.
Protestors carrying Khalistani flags clashed with people at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton. The consular event was co-organised by the temple and the Indian consulate.
Unverified videos circulating on social media appear to show individuals carrying yellow Khalistan flags clashing with a rival group, including people holding Indian flags.
There were also isolated fist fights, videos show.
India condemns attack
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the attack on a temple by a pro-Khalistani mob in Canada and asked the government there to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.
In a post on X, Modi also flayed the “cowardly attempts” to intimidate Indian diplomats.
He said, “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve.”
He added, “We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.”
Official sources noted that this is the first statement by Modi since the recent slump in India-Canada ties
The Indian high commission in Ottawa issued a strong statement on Monday condemning the attack on Brampton’s Hindu Sabha temple by “anti-India” elements.
In its statement, the high commission remarked, “We have seen violent disruption today (November 3), orchestrated by anti-India elements outside the consular camp co-organised with the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, near Toronto.”
The high commission also issued a strong statement on Monday condemning the recent attack on Brampton’s Hindu Sabha temple by “anti-India” elements.
“Despite these efforts by anti-India elements, our Consulate was able to issue more than 1000 life certificates to the Indian and Canadian applicants. There were also attempts to disrupt similar camps held in Vancouver and Surrey on Nov 2-3,” the high commission said.
The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that New Delhi remains “deeply concerned” about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada.
“We condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario yesterday.
“We call on the Government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying in the statement.
“We also expect that those indulging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada,” he said, adding, “The outreach of our consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence”.
Canada reaction
Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau condemned as “unacceptable” violence at a Hindu temple near Toronto on Sunday, following skirmishes blamed by some leaders on Sikh activists.
“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,” Trudeau said in a post on X on Monday.
Local police in the city of Brampton, roughly 50 kilometres from Toronto, said they had deployed heavily outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in order to maintain calm during a protest.
A spokesman for the Peel Regional Police told AFP that no arrests had been made. Police have also declined to assign blame for the reported violence.
“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,” Trudeau wrote on X.
A federal lawmaker and member of Trudeau’s Liberal Party, Chandra Arya, blamed the incident on “Khalistanis”. “A red line has been crossed by Canadian Khalistani extremists today,” Arya posted on X.
“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,” he said.
Relations between Canada and India have nosedived after Ottawa accused the Indian government of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan activist.
Beyond Nijjar’s killing, Canada has accused India of directing a broad campaign targeting Sikh activists on Canadian soil, which Ottawa says has included intimidation, threats and violence.
India has rejected the allegations.
Delhi and Ottawa earlier this month each expelled the other’s ambassador and other senior diplomats. (Agencies)
