Canada: Swaminarayan Temple Defaced With Anti-India Graffiti, India Demands Probe

A purported video of the temple after defacement is being circulated on social media where Khalistani slogans can be seen scribbled on the walls.

New Delhi: India, on Thursday strongly condemned the alleged anti-India slogans at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto and demanded an investigation into the incident. The Indian High Commission has raised concerns about the defacing of the temple and urged Canadian authorities to take immediate action against the culprits.

Expressing shock over the incident, Brampton South MP Sonia Sidhu tweeted, “We live in a multicultural and multi-faith community where everyone deserves to feel safe. Those responsible should be located to face the consequences of their actions.”

A purported video of the temple after defacement is being circulated on social media where Khalistani slogans can be seen scribbled on the walls. The authenticity of the video is, however, not verified by ABP News. 

Brampton mayor Patrick Brown also shared disappointment over the vandalism. “This type of hate has no place in the GTA of Canada. Let’s hope those criminals responsible are brought to justice quickly,” Brown tweeted.

Indian-origin MP of Canada Chandra Arya pointed out that the incident is not isolated as this kind of hate crime has targeted Canadian Hindu temples in the recent past. "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 crime. Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned," the MP said.

The latest incident comes after a number of temples were vandalised in Greater Toronto area earlier this year.

An estimated six Hindu temples have seen burglary, five in Peel and one in Hamilton both are part of the area, according to the Hindustan Times report. It has been reported that cash from donation boxes and ornaments from Hindu Gods were stolen in many of the cases.

The first incident took place in November last year when a break-in was reported at Hindu Sabha temple and Shri Jagannath temple, both in Brampton. Other instances were reported in January including temples such as Maa Chintpurni Mandir, Brampton, Hindu Heritage Centre, Mississauga,  Gauri Shankar Mandir, Brampton and Hamilton Samaj Temple, Hamilton.