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06-11-2024
Bureau Report + Agencies
SYDNEY/ NEW DELHI: India foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Tuesday the vandalism of a Hindu temple in Canada on Monday was deeply concerning.
“What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was obviously deeply concerning,” he told reporters in the Australian capital Canberra while on an official visit.
The incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in 2023 in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies.
The incident has increased tensions between Canada and India, and between Sikh separatists and Indian diplomats.
Two Hindu temples were also vandalized in Canberra last month, which Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said was upsetting for members of the Indian community.
“People across Australia have a right to be safe and respected, people also have a right to peaceful protest, people have a right to express their views peacefully,” she told reporters.
“We draw a line between that and violence, incitement of hatred or vandalism,” she added.
Wong said Australia had expressed its views to India about Canada’s allegations over the targeting of Sikh separatists, and Canberra respected Canada’s judicial process.
Jaishankar said it was unacceptable that Indian diplomats had been placed under surveillance by Canada.
“Canada has developed a pattern of making allegations without providing specifics,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime ministers of India and Canada condemned violence that broke out on Sunday at a Hindu temple near Toronto at a time of escalating diplomatic tensions between the countries.
Videos posted on social media appeared to show people hitting each other with flagpoles and throwing punches in 
the Toronto suburb of Brampton. It was unclear who instigated the violence and Reuters could not independently verify what happened. The incident happened weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in 2023 in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a broad campaign against South Asian dissidents in Canada, which New Delhi denies.
Police said there were demonstrations at multiple locations in the region. Sikh activists said one demonstration was at a Hindu temple where pro-Khalistan activists protested the presence of Indian diplomats and another was at a Sikh temple.
Khalistan refers to a Sikh homeland activists want carved out of India’s Punjab state.
The local Peel Police said three men faced criminal charges over Sunday’s protest. A 43-year-old man is charged with causing a disturbance and assaulting a peace officer, a 23-year-old man is charged with assault with a weapon and a 31-year-old man is charged with mischief.
Police said they are aware of video of an off-duty police officer participating in a demonstration. The officer has been suspended, they said. Police are investigating.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a strongly worded statement on X on Monday.
