'Collective Responsibility to Denounce Hateful Acts': Canada Minister After Prominent Temple Vandalised

Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly has condemned the desecration of a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area and said that she stands with the Hindu community in denouncing the vandalism.

“Everyone should be able to practice their faith in peace, free from violence and intimidation,” Melanie Joly said in a tweet on Tuesday.

“I stand with Hindu communities in denouncing the vandalism at Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton. We have a collective responsibility to denounce hateful acts, which have no place in Canada,” she added.

The reaction came after Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton was targeted with anti-India graffiti, causing outrage among the Indian community.

The temple, which is a symbol of Indian heritage, has been left vandalised with hate-filled messages directed towards India.

The Canadian authorities are currently investigating the incident and condemned the incident.

Sonia Sidhu, MP of the ruling Liberal Party, said she was “concerned about an act of vandalism and hate”. She said she had spoken to the temple as well Peel Regional Police and continued to “unequivocally state that all Canadians deserve to feel safe in their place of worship.”

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said that he has raised his concerns over the hate crime with Peel Regional Police and added that the vandalism has no place in the country. Chandan Acharya, a Canadian MP, also condemned the incident and urged authorities to take action in the matter.

According to a report in Times Now, banned terror organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and other Khalistani groups could be behind the anti-India graffiti. The SFJ later uploaded the video of the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir on social media, the report added.

The defacing of the Hindu temple in Brampton is not an isolated incident, with at least three similar acts of vandalism recorded in Canada since last July.

Last September, the Indian Foreign Ministry has issued a strongly worded statement, saying there has been a “sharp increase” in hate crimes against Indians and other “anti-India activities” in Canada. New Delhi had urged the Canadian government to properly investigate the incidents.

Statistics Canada, the country’s national statistical office, has reported a 72 percent increase in hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race in Canada between 2019 and 2021.

This has led to increased fears among minority communities, particularly the Indian community, which is the fastest-growing demographic group in Canada, accounting for almost four percent of the population.

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