'Khalistan Zindabad' graffiti on walls of Toronto's BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir: India strongly condemns incident, demands probe

Sep 15, 2022

India, on Thursday strongly condemned the alleged anti-India slogans at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto and urged the Canadian authorities to investigate the incident.

In a tweet, the High Commission of India in Ottawa asked the authorities to take 'prompt action against the perpetrators'. The High Commission's tweet was posted after several Canadian MPs and Hindus condemned the incident involving anti-India graffiti on the walls of the Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto.

"We strongly condemn the defacing of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto with anti-India graffiti. We have requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action against the perpetrators," the Indian High Commission said in a tweet.

Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament, Canada said that Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned over the hate crime against Hindu temples. "Vandalism of Toronto BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir by Canadian Khalistani extremists should be condemned by all. This is not just an isolated event. Canadian Hindu temples have been targeted in the recent past by these kinds of hate crime. Hindu Canadians are legitimately concerned," Arya said in a tweet.

Several video clips circulating on social media showed grafitti of 'Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad' written on the walls of the temple. Canadian MP Ruby Sahota said that the vandalism at the Swaminarayan Mandir in Etobicoke is 'disgusting and disrespectful'. "All faiths have the right to practice in Canada without intimidation or fear. The criminals behind this act should be punished," she said in a tweet.