Khalistani extremists desecrate BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
21 July, 2024
Case Summary
Khalistani extremists defaced the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with Hinduphobic and anti-Modi graffiti. The incident was confirmed by Canadian MP Chandra Arya on social media. The graffiti read, “PM Modi MP Arya Hindu terrorists are Anti Canada.” MP Arya highlighted the recurring vandalism of Hindu temples in Canada, including areas like Greater Toronto and British Columbia, over recent years. He urged Canadian law enforcement to take the issue seriously to prevent such rhetoric from escalating into physical violence against Hindu-Canadians.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, the Khalistani perpetrators desecrated a Hindu temple with anti-Hindu, anti-India and anti-Modi slogans. While it can be said that since the slogans were against the country and its Prime Minister in particular, the crime should not be documented in the Hindu hate tracker. However, the truth remains that the attack on Hindu temples is in itself reflective of the hostility Khalistani separatists nurture against Hindus. It is pertinent to note that Khalistani separatists harboured specific animosity towards Hindus and their faith and also view India as a Hindu collectivity. The very basis of their demands for a separate country carved out of India is that India is a Hindu collectivity and the Sikh religious identity is separate from it, much like Islam. Therefore, by the Khalistanis, anti-India slogans are also a manifestation of anti-Hindu sentiments of the Khalistanis and therefore, constitutes a hate crime.
Case Status
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Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
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Perpetrators Gender
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