The fear of violence in the city has increased after clashes between devotees and Khalistani supporters outside the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada this week.
According to local reports, a quarter of the people in the city, with a population of about 7.5 lakh, are Sikhs, while one in five residents is from the Hindu community.
Both the communities have been living together for a long time, but recent incidents have increased the tension between them.
According to the report of Canadian website The Globe and Mail, men armed with swords, baseball bats and pieces of wood are keeping vigil all night outside a Gurudwara located near Toronto’s Pearson Airport and monitoring the surroundings. Meanwhile, Punjabi music is being played from a pickup truck along with the prayers at the Gurudwara.
Gurdwara management called for vigilance
Sri Guru Singh Sabha Maltan Gurdwara in Mississauga has called for increased vigilance, saying “we have to be prepared.” Let us tell you that recently the Royal Canadian Mounted Police of Canada had accused Indian government officials of having a role in murders, extortion and other violent crimes.
India has rejected the allegations as “motivated and absurd” and has expelled six Canadian diplomats from the country while recalling its high commissioner.
Fights outside a temple in Brampton have led municipal leaders to consider new laws to ban protests at places of worship. Three men were also arrested during violence in Surrey when hundreds of protesters gathered outside a Hindu temple.
Feeling of insecurity in Hindu community
Arvind Mishra, a 35-year-old IT consultant, shifted to Canada from India four years ago. He talked about feeling unsafe after the incident of attack on Hindu temple.
He said, “The Hindu community is very upset, agitated and angry. “We feel marginalized.” Mishra accused the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of openly promoting Khalistani sentiments.
Inderjit Singh Ghoshal, the organizer of Sunday’s violent protest outside the temple, claimed, “This is not a religious fight.
This is not a fight between Sikhs and Hindus. This was not an attempt to attack any place of worship. We came there only to protest against the officials of the Indian government.”
In response to the attack on Sunday night, more than 300 pro-India protesters, some of them masked and armed with bats, gathered at the nearby Malton Gurudwara. The gurudwara is believed to have strong links with Khalistani extremists.
The Canadian website claimed that police tried to control a large crowd of protesters, some of them draped in Indian flags, who took over the road in front of the Hindu Sabha temple and were seen kicking vehicles.
Three people were arrested. Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have deteriorated after Justin Trudeau alleged the role of Indian government agents in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was shot in Surrey on June 18, 2023.
Sourness in bilateral relations, reactions of opposition leaders
Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have been strained ever since Justin Trudeau accused Indian agencies of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre has accused Trudeau of “sowing the seeds of division” for the violent fights in Brampton.
Along with this, Liberal MP Chandra Arya said that these demonstrations show the growing strength of Khalistani separatism. In this tense environment, both the feeling of insecurity for the Indian community in Canada and the deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries remain a matter of serious concern.
The post Tension in Brampton, Canada: Khalistani keeping guard throughout the night, Hindus also ready to fight; Will violence erupt again?… appeared first on .