Another Temple Vandalised by Khalistani Sympathizers in Canada; 4th This Year

Surrey (Canada): A prominent temple in Canada fell victim to vandalism, allegedly by Khalistani supporters, sparking outrage within the Indian community. The Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, an ancient temple in Surrey, British Columbia, was defaced with “pro-Khalistan” posters. These posters demanded a Canadian investigation into India’s alleged involvement in the demise of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18.

A Hateful Act: #Khalistanreferendum posters were purposely pasted at the main door of the Hindu Mandir @surreymandir in #Surrey #Canada at midnight to create an atmosphere of fear among Hindus.@surreyps @SurreyRCMP #HindusUnderAttack @mikefarnworthbc @sukhdhaliwal @Dave_Eby pic.twitter.com/oew8IdPDWm

— Sameer Kaushal 🇨🇦❤🇮🇳 (@itssamonline) August 12, 2023

Security camera footage revealed two masked individuals pasting the posters on the temple’s walls and gate. Nijjar, a designated terrorist, led the Khalistan Tiger Force and the Canadian branch of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). Unknown assailants shot him dead earlier this year. Regrettably, this marks the fourth temple vandalization incident in Canada in 2023.

In April, the Swaminarayan temple in Ontario suffered a similar fate. In February, the Ram Mandir in Mississauga was attacked, and in January, anti-India graffiti marred a temple in Brampton. India has raised concerns about the escalating activities of Khalistan supporters in Canada, urging the country to resist providing platforms for this separatist ideology. The Indian government has taken measures to counter such sentiments abroad.

Last month, Canada faced the appearance of posters labelling senior Indian diplomats as “killers.” In response, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on partner countries, including Canada, the UK, and the US, to reject extremist Khalistani ideology, emphasizing its detrimental impact on international relations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured that Canada takes violence threats seriously and remains committed to combating terrorism.