Sikh extremists vandalise Gauri Shankar Mandir with anti-India graffiti in the Ontario province of Canada

Case ID : 7f64d61 | Location : Brampton, Ontario, Canada | Date of Incident : Mon, 30 January, 2023

Case ID : 7f64d61

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

30 January, 2023

Sikh extremists vandalise Gauri Shankar Mandir with anti-India graffiti in the Ontario province of Canada

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Attack on Temples

Case Summary

A Hindu temple, Gauri Shankar Mandir, was desecrated by Khalistani extremists in Brampton city in Ontario province of Canada. As per reports, the walls of the temple were defaced with anti-India graffiti by Khalistanis associated allegedly with the banned outfit, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The vicious slogan of 'Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad' was found spray-painted on the outer wall of Gauri Shankar Mandir.

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-India slogans. While it can be said that since the slogans were against the country, 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.