Gurdwara, Hindu temple vandalised in Canada
‘Wanted’ posters of Modi, Amit Shah & S. Jaishankar paraded at Surrey event
Toronto: As advance polling for Canada’s federal elections concludes today, leading up to the final voting day on April 28, a series of unsettling incidents within the past 24 hours has spotlighted the delicate tensions simmering within the Indian diaspora and Indo-Canada relations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the vandalism of a gurdwara and a Hindu temple in Surrey alongside the emergence of anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans at the Khalsa Parade in Surrey later in the day, starkly underline these frictions. Adding to the charged atmosphere, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s visit to Brampton’s Guru Nanak Mission Centre (GGNMC) has drawn attention to the complex interplay of cultural, religious, and political dynamics within the communities.
The vandalisation of the gurdwara and the temple coincided with the Khalsa Parade, where “wanted” posters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were paraded. Social media is teeming with videos showing pro-Khalistan activists, with flags, asking Indians (read Hindus) to “go back to their country”.
Mocha Bezirgan (@BezirganMocha), who describes himself as an “anti-corruption and anti-terrorism investigative journalist”, wrote on X: “Happening now: World’s largest Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey, B.C. Chants of ‘Kill Modi Politics’ echo throughout the parade route, accompanied by Sikh hymns and martial arts demonstrations…”
The event attracted politicians of all shades, with Conservative and NDP leaders Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh attending in person. Liberal leader Mark Carney was notably absent. The event saw participation from over 5,50,000 people, and many have criticised the open display of Khalistani and anti-India sentiments amidst the glorification of the alleged Air India bombing mastermind.
Ahead of the Khalsa Parade, the Indian diaspora in Canada awoke to the news of vandalisation of the gurdwara and the temple in Surrey with hate graffiti. While both incidents are under police investigation, the Khalsa Diwan Society, which runs the gurdwara, blamed the vandalism on a small group of Sikh separatists advocating for Khalistan.
