Ram Mandir defaced with anti-India graffiti in Canada; Indian govt calls for action

A Ram Mandir in Mississauga, Canada, was defaced on Tuesday and the Consulate General of India has strongly condemned the incident, demanding prompt action. The miscreants wrote slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and hailing Bhindrawala.

Team Newsable

First Published Feb 15, 2023, 11:16 AM IST | Last Updated Feb 15, 2023, 11:16 AM IST

A Ram Mandir in Canada's Mississauga was defaced with anti-India graffiti, sparking outrage. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto strongly denounced the event and demanded immediate action. Taking to Twitter, the Indian Consulate wrote: “We strongly condemn the defacing of Ram Mandir in Missisauga with anti-India graffiti. We have requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action on perpetrators."

The miscreants penned pro-Bhindrawala and anti-Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi slogans. Patrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, described it as a possible hate crime and added that the police are treating it seriously.

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He posted on Twitter, saying, "This suspected hate crime is being taken very seriously by @PeelPolice and @ChiefNish. The inquiry is under the control of the 12 Division, and they will identify the culprits. In Canada, the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Charter, and we will take every precaution to ensure that everyone is secure in their place of worship."

This is not the first time that anti-Indian graffiti has been added on a Hindu temple in Canada.

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The Indian community was outraged when anti-India murals appeared on a Hindu temple in Brampton earlier in January. The vandalism of the Gauri Shankar Temple was denounced by the Indian Consulate General in Toronto as having wounded the feelings of the Indian community in Canada. BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Canada was vandalised with anti-Indian graffiti earlier in September 2022 by "Canadian Khalistani radicals."

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(Photo: @HinduAmerican | Twitter)