Brampton: Tensions have escalated in the Canadian city of Brampton this week after clashes broke out between worshippers and Khalistani supporters outside the Hindu Sabha Temple. According to local reports, this city of approximately 750,000 people has a large Sikh population, with about a quarter of residents identifying as Sikh and one in five identifying as Hindu. These communities have historically lived together peacefully, but recent events have heightened tensions between them.
The Globe and Mail reports that near Toronto’s Pearson Airport, men equipped with swords, baseball bats, and wooden sticks have kept overnight watch around a gurdwara, monitoring the area. Meanwhile, Punjabi music has been played from a pickup truck, blending with gurdwara prayers.
Gurdwara management urges vigilance
The Sri Guru Singh Sabha Malton Gurdwara in Mississauga issued a call for caution, urging members to “be prepared.” Recently, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused Indian government officials of involvement in murders, extortion, and other violent acts. India dismissed these allegations as “motivated and absurd,” recalling its High Commissioner and expelling six Canadian diplomats from the country. Following the temple clashes, Brampton municipal leaders are considering new laws to ban protests outside places of worship. In Surrey, three individuals were arrested during violence involving hundreds of demonstrators outside a Hindu temple.
Hindu community expresses insecurity
Arvind Mishra, a 35-year-old IT consultant who moved to Canada from India four years ago, expressed feeling unsafe after the Hindu temple attack. “The Hindu community is disturbed, agitated, and angry. We feel marginalized,” he said. Mishra accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of openly fostering pro-Khalistani sentiments.
Indrajit Singh Ghoshal, the organizer of Sunday’s protest outside the temple, claimed, “This is not a religious fight; it’s not a battle between Sikhs and Hindus. It wasn’t an attempt to attack any place of worship. We were there to protest only against officials of the Indian government.”
Anger among Hindus has risen after the temple attack, with some now prepared to retaliate. On Sunday night, over 300 pro-India demonstrators—some masked and armed with bats—gathered near the Malton Gurdwara, which is believed to have strong ties to Khalistani extremists.
According to the Canadian website, police attempted to control the large crowd, which included individuals draped in Indian flags who reportedly occupied the street in front of the Hindu Sabha Temple, even kicking cars. Three people were arrested. Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have deteriorated since Trudeau accused Indian government agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey on June 18, 2023.
Strained bilateral relations and political reactions
India and Canada’s diplomatic relations have soured since Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan activist. Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre accused Trudeau of “sowing the seeds of division,” linking the Prime Minister’s policies to the recent violence in Brampton. Liberal MP Chandra Arya stated that the protests reflect the growing influence of Khalistani separatism. The tense atmosphere has sparked concern among the Indian community in Canada and highlighted the worsening diplomatic ties between the two nations.