PM Modi condemns attack on Hindu temple in Canada, says appalling attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats

New Delhi: Strongly condemning the “deliberate attack” on a Hindu temple in Canada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that “cowardly attempts to intimidate” Indian diplomats were appalling and New Delhi expects Canadian authorities to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.

“I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” PM Modi said on X.

The strong statement by PM Modi came hours after the Ministry of External Affairs condemned the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario yesterday.

“We call on the Government of Canada to ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks. We also expect that those indulging in violence will be prosecuted. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries regarding violence in Brampton.

“The outreach of our Consular officers to provide services to Indians and Canadian citizens alike will not be deterred by intimidation, harassment and violence,” he added.

India has repeatedly expressed its deep concern about extremism and the culture of violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has sought action against these activities.

This is the first statement by PM Modi since the Canada-related controversy started. Sources said it is a reflection that PM Modi stands up for Indians across the world. An Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada’s Brampton witnessed a “violent disruption” on Sunday (local time) in Brampton, near Toronto.

The incident sparked widespread criticism in and outside Canada. Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the attack on the Hindu Sabha temple, calling it “completely unacceptable.”

Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya also condemned the attack on the temple and said that a “red line has been crossed” by Khalistani extremists, highlighting the rise of brazen violent extremism in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also condemned the attack on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton by Khalistani extremists.

Emphasising the importance of religious freedom, Trudeau asserted that every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.

“The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident,” he said on X.

The recent attack adds to a string of similar incidents documented in recent years, underscoring a distressing trend of religious intolerance. The ties between India and Canada have taken a sharp downturn following Canadian leaders making allegations without providing evidence about an assassination on their soil.

The sharp deterioration in ties has seen India withdrawing its High Commissioner from Canada. India had last month Canada’s then Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler conveyed that the “baseless targeting” of the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats and officials in Canada was completely unacceptable.

India underlined that in an atmosphere of extremism and violence, the Trudeau Government’s actions endangered their safety.”We have no faith in the current Canadian Government’s commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials,” MEA said in a release.
The bilateral ties soured after Trudeau alleged in the Canadian Parliament last year that he has “credible allegations” of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 4, 2024

India has denied all the allegations, calling them “absurd” and “motivated” and has accused Canada of giving space to extremist and anti-India elements in their country.

Najjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency, was shot and killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year.

Trudeau had also said last month that his government had not provided India with hard evidence but just intelligence regarding the killing of Najjar on Canadian soil.

Testifying at Canada’s foreign interference inquiry, Trudeau said India has been insisting on evidence over allegations levelled by Canada.

“Behind the scenes (we’re trying) India to co-operate with us. Their ask was…give us the evidence you have on us. Our response was it is within your security agency. You should be looking into how much they know, you should be engaging… ‘No, no but show us the evidence’. At that point, it was primarily intelligence, not hard evidentiary proof. So we said let’s work together…,” he said.