Hindu temple in Canada vandalised by anti-India graffiti amid rising extremist activities

Amid sour diplomatic relations between India and Canada, another incident of a targeted attack on a Hindu temple in Canada came to light on Tuesday. The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton was vandalised by anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti.

Chandra Arya, the Member of Parliament for Nepean voiced deep concern over the escalating incidents of hate-fuelled violence at Hindu-Canadian communities.

The slurs used in the graffiti attacked Indian-origin Canadian MP Chandra Arya and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton is vandalised again. During the last few years, Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area, British Columbia, and other places in Canada are being vandalised with hateful graffiti," Arya said in a post on X.

This is not the first time that a Hindu temple has faced the brunt of hate crime in Canada. Last year, a Hindu temple in Windsor was defaced with anti-India graffiti, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for action from both Canadian and Indian officials. Similar incidents were seen in Mississauga and Brampton too, drawing flak from the Indian community in Canada.

Canadian law enforcement agencies have been urged to take proactive measures to address these threats and ensure the safety and security of all religious communities in Canada, as per Randy Boissonnault, Member of the House of Commons of Canada.

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The incidents have prompted renewed discussions on bolstering security measures around Hindu temples and enhancing efforts to combat extremist propaganda, rising from Khalistani activities in Canada.

Meanwhile, several global reports have highlighted the growing concerns over Khalistani sympathisers operating within Canada, with incidents often linked to calls for an independent Khalistan state in India's Punjab region.

Time and again, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party has come under diplomatic attack from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs for harbouring and promoting anti-India activities on its soil.

Earlier this year, India rejected Trudeau’s remarks regarding the killing of Khalistan separatist (which the Canadian govt calls an activist), Hardeep Singh Nijjar, stating that they have highlighted a worrying tolerance for separatism and violence within Canada.

Trudeau’s attendance at a Khalsa Day event in Toronto in May this year, attended by individuals sympathetic to the Khalistan movement, stirred controversy. India summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner to lodge a strong protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans during the event, which was attended by Trudeau and other dignitaries.

(With inputs from agencies)