The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton has been targeted once more amid a series of attacks on Hindu places of worship in Canada. Chandra Arya, member of parliament for Nepean, voiced his alarm over the increasing hate-fueled violence against Hindu-Canadian communities.
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“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 stated in a post on X on Tuesday.
This latest attack is part of a disturbing pattern of religious intolerance seen in recent years.
Edmonton not the first
Last year, a Hindu temple in Windsor was defaced with anti-India graffiti, leading to widespread condemnation and calls for action from Canadian and Indian officials. Previous incidents in Mississauga and Brampton also saw temples targeted, sparking strong reactions from the Indian community in Canada.
Arya, a liberal member of parliament known for his advocacy on multicultural issues, pointed out the unchecked behaviour of Khalistani extremists in Canada, noting their rhetoric often promotes hatred and violence.
“As I have always been saying, Khalistani extremists seem to get away with ease with their public rhetoric of hate and violence. Again, let me put it on record. Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned. Like a broken record, I again call on Canadian law enforcement agencies to take this issue seriously before these rhetorics get translated into physical action against Hindu Canadians,” Arya reiterated.
“Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice last year publicly called for Hindus to go back to India. Khalistan supporters publicly celebrated in Brampton and Vancouver the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and brandishing images of deadly weapons,” Arya added.
Another Canadian political leader addressed the incident on social media, condemning it as an expression of “hateful rhetoric.”
“Earlier today, the Edmonton BAPS Mandir was vandalised with paint, displaying hateful rhetoric on the walls of what should be a place of refuge. Hate has no part in Canada – much less in places of worship & prayer. This incident is wrong & goes against the values of our city,” Randy Boissonnault, member of the House of Commons of Canada, said in a post on X.
Law enforcement agencies across Canada have been urged to develop preventive strategies to address these threats and ensure the safety of all faith-based communities. These incidents have reignited discussions on enhancing security measures for Hindu places of worship and increasing efforts to combat extremist ideologies.
Simultaneously, numerous international reports have highlighted growing concerns about the activities of Khalistani supporters in Canada, often linked to demands for a sovereign Khalistan nation in the Punjab state of India.
Hate crimes against Hindus in Canada in the past 5 years
- 2024:
- BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Edmonton: Vandalized with offensive graffiti calling Narendra Modi and Chandra Arya “Hindu terrorists” and “anti-Canada.”
- 2023:
- BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Edmonton: Another incident of vandalism was reported.
- 2022:
- Hindu Temple, Windsor: Defaced with anti-India graffiti, sparking widespread condemnation.
- Hindu Temple, Toronto: Vandalized with hateful graffiti.
- 2021:
- Hindu Temple, Brampton: Targeted with graffiti promoting hate and violence.
- Hindu Temple, Mississauga: Defaced with anti-Hindu messages.
- 2020:
- Hindu Temple, Vancouver: Vandalized with hate symbols and derogatory messages.
- 2019:
- Hindu Temple, Greater Toronto Area: Graffiti promoting anti-Hindu sentiments was discovered.
- 2018:
- Hindu Temple, British Columbia: Vandalized with hateful messages aimed at the Hindu community.
These incidents highlight an ongoing trend of religious intolerance and targeted attacks against Hindu places of worship in Canada. In most incidents, Khalistani Sikhs were the perpetrators of the criminal acts against Hindus.
