Thousands of Indian-origin people protested on Monday in response to a violent attack by a Khalistani mob on Hindu devotees at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada. The strong mobilization reflected the determination of the community to come together against the violence and solidarity between Hindus and Sikhs against the small faction of Khalistanis tolerated by the Justin Trudeau administration.
Protesters stopped vehicles along roads while others voiced disapproval of the assault and urged the Hindu society to reconsider their alignment with any political party in Canada. CoHNA is the collective of Hindus in North America and staged the procession from the temple, displaying strength formed from unmerited attacks.
As one Canadian journalist, Daniel Bordman, said, “This is a wake-up call for the Hindu community. They typically do not protest in such large numbers. The Khalistanis crossed a line.” Among the protesters were Sikhs, Jews, Christians, and Iranians, all supporting the protest after the attack and voicing their discontent with the Peel Police response.
In response, while protests intensified, protesters started criticizing the Peel Police for allegedly managing the situation in a sectarian fashion. Aggregators confirmed that violence was accredited to a small number of Khalistanis and was not the activity of a greater Sikh society.
Prime Minister Trudeau remained pretty quiet about the attack, whereas Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu claimed that his political strategies were dividing the Indian diaspora in Canada.
When it comes to the looming 2025 general elections, one cannot help but feel aghast that Trudeau has not answered the incident. Indian protests are indicative of a growing resolve against such anti-India sentiment being allowed to go unanswered as a collective voice among Indian people in Canada grows more audacious.
