British Columbia: prominent Hindu temple in British Columbia, Canada, was vandalized by Khalistani members who posted anti-India and pro-Khalistan posters on its gates and walls.
This hate crime, reported on August 12 at Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey, was captured on camera, showing two masked men pasting anti-India and Khalistani pamphlets.
Following the incident, the atmosphere is one of fear and anxiety within the patriotic community. The temple had also been targeted in 2013 when Khalistani groups shattered a window pane.
This marks a second round of activities being undertaken by Khalistani groups across the globe. The first was at the time of the arrest of ‘Amritpal Singh,’ but due to immense pressure from the Government of India, these groups went underground.
This time, following the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani figure and India’s most wanted, his supporters have been outraged. Sikh separatist activities and tensions with the Indian government have intensified.
India has consistently opposed the Khalistani movement. Following the killing, a series of protests and violence reported by Khalistani groups have occurred. As Independence Day approaches, it is expected that these groups will escalate activities around August 15.
Even after facing backlash over its posters targeting Indian diplomats, the Sikhs for Justice group threatens to besiege Indian missions on Independence Day.
Concerns are already heightened due to the instance of arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Additionally, the security perimeter of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa was breached on March 23 with smoke bombs used by Khalistani groups.
Responding to the threat to Indian officials, Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly described the situation as ‘unacceptable.’ However, when it comes to taking action on the ground, not a single case has resulted in action.
In July, the Canadian High Commissioner to India was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over Khalistani posters in Canada that showed the names of Indian diplomats.
