Hindu devotees attacked at Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada
Brampton, Ontario, Canada 
2 November, 2024
Case Summary
Sikh extremists attacked Hindus at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Canada, following a protest by Hindu devotees against anti-India slogans raised by Khalistanis marking the anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots by Congress after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. When Peel Police and the RCMP arrived, some officers targeted Hindu locals instead of detaining the Khalistanis. Following the attack by Khalistani elements at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, thousands of Canadian Hindus gathered in a solidarity march organised by the Coalition of Hindus in North America (CoHNA) outside the temple at night. India condemned the attack with an expectation that those indulging in violence "will be prosecuted". On November 4, Peel Police arrested three individuals, who were identified as, 43-year-old Dilpreet Singh Bouns from Mississauga, facing charges of causing disturbance and assaulting a peace officer; 23-year-old Vikas from Brampton, charged with assault with a weapon; and 31-year-old Amritpal Singh from Mississauga, facing charges of mischief over CAD 5,000. Peel Police also issued a statement that it suspended a Peel Regional Police officer from duty after he was caught on camera participating in the pro-Khalistani protest outside the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton on November 3. The police officer was identified as Sergeant Harinder Sohi, badge number 3071. On November 10, Canadian police arrested a 35-year-old Brampton resident, Inderjeet Gosal, on charges of assault with a weapon in connection with the violent demonstration at the temple. Gosal was released later. Gosal is regarded as the chief lieutenant of Gurpatwant Pannun, the general counsel of the banned Khalistani terrorist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). He assumed the role of main organiser for the Khalistan referendum in Canada after Hardeep Singh Nijjar's assassination in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. Nijjar's killing triggered a diplomatic rift between India and Canada when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed in the House of Commons three months later that there were "credible allegations" potentially linking Indian agents to the incident. India dismissed these claims as "absurd" and "motivated."
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been documented as a religious hate crime because the details clearly show that the offender had a bias against the Hindu faith and that the offence was performed in conjunction with that bias. Based on the case details, it has been added under one prime category of the tracker, which is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the first sub-category selected is- Attack against Hindu devotees. Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The second sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The attack on Hindu devotees at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Canada, on November 3, 2024, is a clear case of a religiously motivated hate crime. The violence occurred after Hindu worshippers protested against the anti-India slogans raised by Khalistani supporters who were marking the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which followed the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This act of aggression was specifically directed at Hindu devotees for their religious identity and their opposition to the Khalistani agenda. The attackers, who were part of a movement that openly supports Khalistan and often targets Indian sovereignty, chose to attack the very people protesting against their provocative behaviour. The nature of the assault, as well as the fact that it took place in a sacred Hindu space, underscores the religious motivation behind it. The subsequent failure of local authorities to take appropriate action against the assailants, and the allegation that some officers targeted the Hindu locals instead, further highlights the complicity and failure to protect the victims. It is important to note that the attack on Hindu temples is in itself reflective of the hostility Khalistani separatists nurture against Hindus. Beyond that, Khalistani separatists harbour 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
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Sikh Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
