NEW DELHI: India has condemned violence by pro-Khalistan separatists at Hindu temples, and attempts to disrupt Indian consular activities, in Brampton, Canadawith PM Modi taking to X to emphasize that the country’s resolve will not be weakened by such actions and to demand action against the perpetrators.
“I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. What is appalling is the cowardly attempt to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will not break India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” Modi said. hours after the foreign ministry condemned the incident that happened on Sunday. The ministry said New Delhi remains concerned about the safety and security of Indian citizens in Canada and has asked the Canadian authorities to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. New Delhi has repeatedly stated amid ongoing diplomatic spats with Ottawa that its main concern with Canada remains the space given by local authorities to pro-Khalistan separatists, in order to target Indian interests.
On this occasion, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, accused of sympathizing with Khalistan due to votebank considerations, said in X, “The act of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today is unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice his faith freely and safely. Thank you Kudos to Peel Police for responding quickly to protect the public and investigate this incident.
Canadian authorities have come to know about consular camps organized in collaboration with temples for the benefit of local life certificate beneficiaries.
A video clip of Sunday’s attack showed pro-Khalistan protesters attacking a large number of worshipers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir. One of the videos allegedly shows the police arresting a Hindu youth and handcuffing him, commentators compared it to the incident of George Floyd in America and the Canadian MP who led Chandra Arya said that suspicions about Khalistanis infiltrating Canadian law enforcement have been strengthened.
Arya said the incident showed the “red line” that Khalistani activists have crossed against Hindus. He also mentioned the aggressive behavior of the Brampton police against Hindus protesting the attack.
PM Modi’s statement is the second instance in recent months that he has addressed the issue of reported attacks on Hindus outside India. In August this year, he went up against Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s chief adviser, who allegedly targeted Hindus and other minorities after the regime change in the neighboring country.
In an official statement, the Indian government said that Indian consular officers providing services to Indians and Canadian citizens will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence.
“We condemn the act of violence committed by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha temple in the city of Brampton in Ontario, yesterday,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“We request the Canadian government to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. We also expect that those who commit violence will be prosecuted,” Jaiswal said.
On Sunday, Peel Regional Police said there was a protest at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton and an unconfirmed video circulating on social media appeared to show protesters holding banners in support of Khalistan, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The Indian high commission said it was disappointed to see such disruptions allowed for routine consular work organized in cooperation with local co-organizers.
“We remain concerned about the safety of applicants, including Indian nationals, who requested the event to be held in the first place. Despite this attempt by anti-Indian elements, our consulate was able to issue more than 1,000 life certificates to Indian and Canadian applicants,” it added.
