Modi condemns violence after Canada temple incident
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned what he called “cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats,” amid escalating diplomatic tensions with Canada.
Last month, the two countries expelled each other’s top envoys after Canadian officials accused India of involvement in violent acts targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil—a claim India denies.
Modi’s remarks follow an outbreak of violence at a Hindu temple in Brampton, Canada, on Sunday, which he described as a “deliberate attack.”
“Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” he wrote on X.
Local police reported that three individuals have been arrested and charged in relation to the incident near Toronto, and noted that “several acts of unlawfulness continue to be actively investigated.”
Unverified video shared online showed individuals carrying yellow Khalistan movement flags—representing a call for a separate Sikh homeland in India—clashing with others holding Indian flags.
India’s foreign ministry attributed the violence to “extremists and separatists,” urging the Canadian government to “ensure that all places of worship are protected from such attacks.”
The North America-based activist group Sikhs for Justice, meanwhile, described the incident as an “unprovoked violent attack on peaceful pro-Khalistan demonstrators”.
Justin Trudeau wrote on X that Sunday’s violence was “unacceptable”, adding that “every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely”.
Relations between India and Canada have soured since Ottawa accused the Indian government of being behind the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a naturalised Canadian citizen who is labelled a terrorist in India.
India has vehemently denied this and other allegations and maintained that Canada has provided no evidence to support its claims.
Mr Nijjar had been a vocal supporter of the Khalistan movement and publicly campaigned for it.
The rift between Canada and India has raised questions over the impact it could have on the deep trade and immigration ties between both countries.
Bilateral trade is worth billions of dollars, and Canada is home to nearly 1.7 million people of Indian origin.
Neither country has yet imposed tariffs or other economic forms of retaliation, but experts caution that this could change, and that a cooling relationship between India and Canada could hinder further economic growth.
