Following clashes that some officials blamed on Sikh protestors, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced Sunday’s violence at a Hindu temple outside of Toronto as “unacceptable.”
In order to keep the peace during a protest, local police in Brampton, which is around 50 kilometers northwest of Toronto, said they had heavily deployed outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir.
No one had been arrested, a Peel Regional Police spokesperson told AFP. Additionally, police have refused to place blame for the violence that has been reported.
“Today’s violent incidents at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton are intolerable. Trudeau posted on X, “Every Canadian has the right to freely and safely practice their faith.”
The event was attributed to “Khalistanis,” a reference to supporters of the fringe separatist movement for an independent Sikh homeland in Punjab state, India, by Chandra Arya, a federal MP and member of Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
After Ottawa accused the Indian government of masterminding the 2023 murder in Vancouver of 45-year-old Khalistan supporter and naturalized Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar, relations between Canada and India have deteriorated.
In addition to Nijjar’s murder, Canada has charged India with leading a large-scale campaign against Sikh activists in Canada, which Ottawa claims has involved violence, threats, and intimidation.
Arya, a Hindu, said on X, “Today, Canadian Khalistani extremists crossed a red line.”
“The assault by Khalistanis on Hindu-Canadian worshippers within the Hindu Sabha temple’s grounds in Brampton demonstrates the extent and blatantness of Khalistani violent extremism in Canada,” he stated.
People with yellow Khalistan flags appear to be fighting with a rival gathering, which includes people with Indian flags, in a video that has gone viral on social media. As the videos show, there were also isolated fistfights.
Trudeau accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of transgressing Canadian sovereignty.
The accusations have been denied by India.
Earlier this month, senior diplomats and the ambassadors of Delhi and Ottawa were dismissed from each other.
India is “extremely concerned” about Indian citizens’ safety in Canada.
The “acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists” at the Hindu temple were denounced by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.
The ministry issued a statement saying, “We urge the Government of Canada to guarantee that all places of worship are safeguarded against such assaults.”
Additionally, we anticipate that those who engage in violent behavior will face legal action. The safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada continue to be our top priorities.
“Intimidation, harassment, and violence will not deter our Consular officers’ outreach to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike,” the statement said.
