Hindu community targeted; sacred temple in Surrey desecrated amid rising temple attack trend in Canada
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada 
18 April, 2025
Case Summary
The Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey was desecrated with graffiti bearing pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans. Along with writing pro-Khalistan slogans on the walls, miscreants damaged the doors of the temple and vandalised the premises. According to media reports, the biggest Nagar Kirtan is organised in Surrey every year in April, which is organised by Dashmesh Darbar Gurudwara. Unfortunately, this incident happened the night before the function. The temple spokesperson stated that efforts had been underway to build unity between the Sikh and Hindu communities and suggested that this attack was meant to intimidate those promoting harmony. Shortly before this act of vandalism, the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara, also known as the Ross Street Gurdwara, in Vancouver was also desecrated. The act of vandalism was carried out using spray paint in the early hours of the morning. Slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad” were painted on the gates and outer walls of the Gurdwara. The management described it as an attack on their sacred space and the shared legacy of peaceful coexistence built by their forebears. Prior incidents across Canada reflect a pattern of targeted desecration. In July 2024, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton was defaced with Hinduphobic and anti-Modi graffiti. In September 2023, graffiti reading “Punjab is not India” was sprayed on the Shree Mata Bhameshwari Durga Devi Society temple in Surrey. In February 2023, a Ram temple in Mississauga had been vandalised with anti-India graffiti, and in January the same year, the Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton had been defaced with slogans including “Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad.” A similar act had been carried out at the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto in September 2022. In February 2022 alone, six Hindu temples in Toronto were attacked. The Vancouver Police Department stated that an investigation into the Gurdwara incident was underway, but no suspects had been identified at the time of reporting.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The sub-category relevant in this case is- Attack on Temples. 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. The desecration of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey constituted a hate crime, as it targeted a sacred site central to the Hindu faith. Defacing such a space is not just an act of vandalism; it is an assault on the religious sentiments of an entire community. The temple holds deep spiritual significance, and an attack on it signifies hostility towards the beliefs and practices upheld by its devotees. The intent behind defacing the premises can be reasonably seen as an expression of religious animus. It is important to mention here that the perpetrators desecrated the Hindu temple with anti-India and pro-Khalistani slogans. While it can be said that since the slogans were against the country 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 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, anti-India slogans are also a manifestation of anti-Hindu sentiments of the Khalistanis and, therefore, constitute a hate crime. Further, this incident was not isolated but formed part of an ongoing trend of temple attacks in Canada. Over the past few years, several Hindu temples across provinces such as Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta have been defaced with hate-filled and anti-India graffiti. The repeated targeting of temples, often with similar slogans and timing, points to a pattern of systematic hostility directed at Hindu religious sites.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Sikh Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
