On Thursday, a group of Khalistani supporters vandalized a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Canada and defaced it with pro-Khalistan and anti-India graffiti. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday near the City Hall in Hamilton, Ontario. The six-foot tall statue, which was gifted by the Indian government, was defaced with abuse against Gandhi and attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The statue has been at that location since 2012.
This incident comes as Canada’s foreign ministry said that the government is aware of protests by Khalistani supporters at various locations across the country. The spokesperson of Canada’s foreign ministry, Marilyne Guevremont, said that Canadian authorities are in contact with Indian diplomatic officials regarding the protests. The foreign ministry had promised action and added that the country will take the security-related obligations under international law very seriously.
This is not the first time that Hindu temples or statues have been targeted in Canada. In January this year, the Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton was vandalized, and its walls were defaced with anti-India slogans. Similarly, in February, the prominent Ram Mandir in Mississauga was vandalized with anti-India graffiti allegedly by pro-Khalistan groups. In July 2022, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at the Vishnu Mandir in the Greater Toronto Area was vandalized and defaced with graphic words.
The San Francisco Police officers had to put up heavy barricading on Wednesday as Khalistani protestors protested. The protestors were demonstrating against India’s agricultural laws.
