The Indian government has condemned an attack by alleged Sikh separatist activists on a Hindu temple in Canada, where a consular camp was organized by the diplomatic mission, calling the incident “deeply disturbing.”
The attack comes amid a diplomatic row between the two countries over Ottawa’s allegations that New Delhi has targeted Sikh extremists on Canadian soil.
In videos widely shared on Sunday, a group of men armed with sticks was seen attacking visitors of the camp outside the temple in Brampton, just outside Toronto. The men carried flags linked to pro-Khalistan groups, which advocate for a separate nation-state for Sikhs carved out of India’s Punjab state. Women and children were also targeted during the attack, according to a Times of India report citing the non-profit Hindu Canadian Foundation.
“We have seen violent disruption today orchestrated by anti-India elements outside the consular camp co-organized with the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, near Toronto,” the Indian High Commission in Canada stated on X.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in both countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose government earlier this month accused Indian officials of carrying out “violence” in Canada, particularly targeting Khalistan supporters, condemned the attack. “The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely,” he wrote in a post on X, thanking the Peel Regional Police for their swift response.
Lawmaker Chandra Arya from Trudeau’s Liberal Party, however, blamed the attack on pro-Khalistan extremists, stating that “a red line has been crossed.” He noted, “This shows how deep and brazen Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada.” Arya expressed concern that there may be some truth to reports suggesting Khalistan supporters have infiltrated Canadian political and law enforcement agencies.
Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also denounced the violence, calling it “completely unacceptable.”
New Delhi, which has rejected the allegation against its officials, including Home Minister Amit Shah, has previously accused the Trudeau-led government of supporting pro-Khalistan activists and “harboring” terrorists for domestic political gains.
Amid the diplomatic spat that led to the expulsion of six diplomats – including high commissioners – by each country earlier this month, former Indian envoy Sanjay Kumar Verma alleged that Khalistani activists are being used by Canadian intelligence agencies. “This is my allegation; I’m not providing any evidence for it, but I know that some of these Khalistani extremists and terrorists are deep assets of Canadian intelligence agency CSIS,” he said in an interview with Canadian channel CTV News.
India has consistently raised concerns over attacks on diplomatic missions and Hindu temples over the past year. In July, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton was vandalized, and earlier, a Hindu temple in Windsor was defaced with anti-India graffiti, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for action from both Canadian and Indian officials.
Earlier this month, New Delhi stated that it had shared at least two dozen extradition requests against individuals linked to the Khalistan movement who have been charged with terror and related crimes in India, but that these requests have not been acted upon by the Canadian government.