Outrage has been sparked among the Indian community as a Hindu Temple in Brampton, Canada has been targeted with anti-India graffiti.
On Monday (local time), the Indian Consulate General in Toronto denounced the damage at the Gauri Shankar Mandir, saying that it had greatly hurt the feelings of the Indian community in Canada.
In a statement, the consulate office said: “We strongly condemn the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton, a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities.”
We strongly condemn defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton,a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt sentiments of Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities.
— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) January 30, 2023
Canadian officials are looking into the event, and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has condemned the vandalism.
The Brampton Mayor tweeted, “This hateful act of vandalism has no place in our City or Country,” adding that he has addressed this hate crime with Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah.
The @CityBrampton condemns the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir. This hateful act of vandalism has no place in our City or Country. I have raised my concerns over this hate crime with @ChiefNish and @PeelPolice. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their place worship.
— Patrick Brown (@patrickbrownont) January 30, 2023
The mayor of Brampton remarked, “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their place of worship.”
It has happened before in Canada that a temple has been vandalized. Canadian “Khalistani extremists,” wrote anti-Indian graffiti on the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Canada earlier in September 2022.
“Vandalism of Toronto BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir by Canadian Khalistani extremists should be condemned by all. This is not just an isolated event. Canadian Hindu temples have been targeted in the recent past by these kinds of hate crimes. Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned,” Canada’s Member of Parliament Chandra Arya tweeted.
The attack of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton is latest in attacks on Hindu temples in Canada by anti-Hindu and anti-India groups.
From hatred on social media, now physical attacks on Hindu temples, what next?
I call on govt at levels in Canada to start taking this seriously.— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) January 31, 2023
The Greater Toronto Area (GTARichmond )’s Hill Vishnu Mandir’s Mahatma Gandhi statue was also vandalized in July 2022.
Both times, pro-Khalistan slogans were sprayed on the property, and pro-Pakistan accounts on social media helped publicize the vandalism.