Over the past months, Canada has seen a troubling escalation of anti-Hindu activity, as a series of temple vandalizations and hate-motivated incidents rocked the Indo-Canadian community. These events raised alarm bells in both India and Canada, highlighting an escalating undercurrent of religious and geopolitical tension.
A Surge in Targeted Attacks
At least five Hindu temples in Ontario and British Columbia have been vandalized since late 2023. Graffiti with slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Down with Hindutva” have been found on temple walls, attributing the incidents to pro-Khalistani extremists.
Gauri Shankar Mandir, Brampton, Ontario (January 2023):
- The temple was vandalized with anti-India graffiti, including slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Murdabad.”
Shri Ram Mandir, Mississauga, Ontario (February 2023):
- Vandals painted anti-India graffiti across the walls of the temple, which was denounced by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Toronto, Ontario (September 2023):
- The temple was vandalized with slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Murdabad.”
Shree Mata Bhameshwari Durga Devi Society, Surrey, British Columbia (September 2023):
- The entrance to the temple was vandalized with graffiti reading “Punjab is not India.”
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Edmonton, Alberta (July 2024):
- Anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti with messages against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian MP Chandra Arya were sprayed on the temple.
Hindu Sabha Mandir, Brampton, Ontario (November 2024):
- There was violence with protesters waving Khalistan flags on a visit by Indian diplomats. It resulted in several arrests and sparked condemnation by leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Windsor, Ontario (April 2023):
- Anti-India graffiti defaced the temple. The Windsor Police conducted a hate-motivated probe and released photographs of two suspects who were part of the vandalism.
India-Canada Tensions as a Backdrop
The increase in such incidents is concurrent with deteriorating diplomatic ties between India and Canada. Tensions escalated following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation of India’s involvement in the June 2023 murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India dismissed the accusations and struck back through travel advisories and suspension of visa services for Canadian nationals.
Diplomacy, albeit slowly, has resumed since then. Consequences have had far-reaching and painful repercussions in the community level, however. The Hindu diaspora, primarily composed of diasporans remaining committed to pro-India feelings, has itself become a part of the battle zone of diaspora politics. Radicals directed attacks at the temple as representative stand-ins within the ideological conflict.
Community Fear and Political Silence
Hindu groups and community leaders have been worried over the absence of robust denunciation by Canadian authorities. Most believe that the Trudeau government has failed to take definitive measures in checking hate crimes against Hindus.
“Political leaders are intimidating us in our own house of worship, and the political leaders’ silence is deafening,” Ravi Subramanian, president of the Canadian Hindu Forum, said. “All hate crimes, be it against Sikhs, Jews, Muslims, or Hindus, need to be dealt with as urgently.”
At the same time, Indo-Canadian police forces such as the Peel Regional Police and RCMP have opened probes, but in the high-profile temple desecration cases, no one has been arrested. The absence of accountability has worsened Indo-Canadian fears of an escalation of graffiti to hateful violence.
Digital Echo Chambers and Extremism
Experts opine that online radicalization is fueling the problem. Social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube have become fertile soil for Khalistani propaganda and anti-Hindu hate speech. Influencers and activists on either side tend to amplify polarizing narratives, further polarizing diaspora communities.
A 2024 report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) cautioned against “increased online mobilization by foreign-influenced extremist groups” that could target minority communities or places of worship.
India’s Official Response
India has strongly condemned the attacks and asked the Canadian government to provide security for its diaspora and Hindu places of worship. The High Commission of India in Ottawa has made several statements, asking for prompt justice and urging temple managements to report incidents or suspicious behaviour.
During a March 2025 briefing, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are gravely concerned by increasing attacks on Hindu places of worship in Canada. We call upon the Canadian authorities to act firmly and maintain religious harmony.”
What Lies Ahead?
The emerging Hindu hate in Canada is an ominous sign of how transnational politics can express itself as domestic violence. For a nation that boasts of its multiculturalism and religious tolerance, the Canadian government now has the pressing task of reasserting its commitment to safeguarding all faith communities, not merely through rhetoric but deeds.
Unless urgent and real actions are initiated, the increasing gap between communities can only become larger, with temples serving as battlefields in a worldwide ideological war.
