The High Commission of India in Ottawa, Canada on November 4 issued a statement by strongly condemning the recent attack on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton by Khalistani extremists.
In a statement, High Commission of India in Ottawa wrote, “…We have seen violent disruption today (Nov 3) orchestrated by anti-India elements outside the consular camp co-organized with the Hindu Sabha Mandir, Brampton, near Toronto.”
“It is deeply disappointing to see such disruptions being allowed for routine consular work being organized by our Consulates with the fullest cooperation of local co-organizers.”
The statement further added, “We also remain very concerned for the safety of applicants, including Indian nationals, on whose demand such events are organized in the first place. Despite these efforts by anti-India elements, our Consulate was able to issue more than 1000 life certificates to the Indian and Canadian applicants…”
Earlier, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also had condemned the incident as “unacceptable”. Taking to X, the Prime Minister wrote, “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.”
As per AFP report, local police in the city of Brampton, roughly 50 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Toronto, said they had deployed heavily outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in order to maintain calm during a protest. A spokesman for the Peel Regional Police told AFP that no arrests had been made. Police have also declined to assign blame for the reported violence.
India-Canada relations
Relations between Canada and India have nosedived after Ottawa accused the Indian government of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan activist.
Beyond Nijjar’s killing, Canada has accused India of directing a broad campaign targeting Sikh activists on Canadian soil, which Ottawa says has included intimidation, threats and violence.
