Toronto– In a disturbing repeat of religiously motivated vandalism, the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey, British Columbia, was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti over the weekend, marking the third such incident at the same site.
According to reports, two individuals spray-painted separatist slogans on the temple walls around 3 a.m. Sunday and removed a security camera before fleeing. A Canada-based journalist who visited the site afterward shared footage of the vandalism and spoke with temple officials and devotees, many of whom expressed frustration over what they perceive as a lack of response from both law enforcement and political leaders.
“This is the third time it has been vandalized. I spoke to the management and devotees, and they don’t feel like the police or the political establishment cares at all,” the journalist said.
Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya strongly condemned the incident, calling it a chilling example of growing Khalistani extremism in the country. “The attacks on Hindu temples that began several years ago continue unabated — this latest graffiti is yet another chilling reminder of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism,” Arya posted on X.
Arya warned that these acts are not isolated, but rather part of a broader, organized campaign. “Well-organized, well-funded, and backed by significant political clout, Khalistani elements are brazenly asserting their dominance and successfully silencing Hindu voices across Canada,” he said.
He also pointed to the recent defacing of Vancouver’s historic Khalsa Diwan Society Ross Street Gurdwara with similar slogans, an act that drew sharp criticism from the Sikh temple’s own leadership. The gurdwara management denounced the vandalism as part of an “ongoing campaign by extremist forces seeking to instill fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community.”
Arya called for a unified and urgent response, urging both Hindu and Sikh Canadians to demand swift and decisive action from federal and provincial authorities. “It is time for Hindu Canadians, along with the vast majority of our Sikh-Canadian brothers and sisters, to rise with urgency and demand immediate, decisive action from authorities at all levels of government. Silence is no longer an option,” he said.
The latest incident has intensified concerns around religious freedom, public safety, and the rising threat of extremism in Canadian society. Faith leaders and community advocates are urging federal authorities to take concrete steps to safeguard religious institutions and foster communal harmony. (Source: IANS)
