Canada Organization Letter

We are writing to you as a diverse group of concerned Canadian organizations regarding recent attacks on Hindu temples and the role of law enforcement in protecting the Hindu community. While Hindus across Canada celebrated Diwali, two temples—the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, Ontario, and the Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, British Columbia—became the sites of violent acts by Khalistani extremists. What should have been a time of celebrating light over darkness was instead marked by violence within our sacred spaces.

Members of a hate group, including a sergeant of the Peel Regional Police (PRP), stormed temple premises wielding flag poles and sticks, assaulting devotees¹ and disturbing the spiritual atmosphere. Rather than protecting the community, Peel Regional Police and Surrey Police have exhibited blatant double standards as well as used excessive force against the members of the Hindu community, with the PRP pressuring temples to cancel events on their private premises.Not surprisingly the police officer has been reinstated as well.

This experience has left the Hindu community severely traumatized, raising questions about our safety and religious freedom in Canada.

In this context, we urge you to take immediate action by:

• • Enacting legislation to create a 250-meter buffer zone around places of worship to safeguard them from interference and threats. There should be no exceptions or carve-outs on this rule. Equal treatment and protection under the law are the most fundamental basis of a democratic society. 
  • Launching an inquiry into the failure of law enforcement to protect members of the Hindu community, use of excessive force, and double standards when it comes to the civil rights of Hindus.
  • Institutional recognition of Hinduphobia and establishment of mechanisms for swift investigation, monitoring, and reporting of hate incidents targeting Canadian Hindus.

We outline our reasoning further below. 

Concerns over Law Enforcement Response and Bias

• • Peel Regional Police (PRP) allowed protestors to obstruct temple entrances, limiting access for devotees. Despite the Khalistani protest turning violent, police allowed it to continue unchecked. Alarming reports suggest that on November 3rd, police officers at both Brampton and Surrey exhibited hostility towards Hindu devotees rather than ensuring their protection.
    Officers reportedly brutally pinned down² and arrested peaceful attendees—including a minor² in Surrey—while failing to detain any Khalistani protesters. This occurred despite allegations that protesters assaulted, threatened, and directed profanities and obscene gestures toward Hindu devotees within temple premises—all in the presence of law enforcement. 
    Disturbingly, a Peel Regional Police Sergeant³ is alleged to have participated in the violent protest at a Hindu temple in Brampton, raising serious concerns about the impartiality and credibility of law enforcement in handling these incidents.
  • On November 11th, the Triveni Mandir in Brampton was forced to cancel a consular services camp that was to be held on its premises on November 17, following PRP’s advice, citing an “extremely high and imminent threat level of violent protests.” According to Hindu community leaders, PRP reportedly pressured other temples to follow suit and cancel similar events—even suggesting a charge of CAD 50,000 to CAD 100,000 to provide police protection. Such measures not only compromise the constitutional rights of Canadian Hindus but also send a message that their safety is conditional, thus deepening the divide and mistrust between the community and those sworn to protect them.
  • Our concerns regarding law enforcement response and perceived bias are underscored by a recent survey⁴ conducted by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Canada, indicating that 95% of Canadian Hindus feel unsafe in Canada due to the recent hateful and violent attacks by Khalistani extremists. Furthermore, 96% of respondents expressed a lack of confidence in law enforcement, rating their response and actions as “very poor or poor.”

A History of Intolerance

These attacks are not isolated incidents. In recent years, Hindu temples in Canada have been targets of vandalism⁵ and graffiti, and Canadian Hindus have increasingly faced verbal and physical attacks. Despite a documented⁶ rise in Hinduphobia, law enforcement and political leaders have been largely silent, often categorizing hate-motivated incidents as “political protests” or “free speech.”

• • From 2021 to 2022 alone, there were more than two dozen break-ins⁷ and numerous acts of vandalism⁶ directed at Hindu temples across Canada. These attacks also include attacks on the Caribbean Hindu temples⁸ that are managed by Hindus who have probably never been to India. Naturally, there is a corresponding rise of fear and a sense of being easy targets⁹ among Canadian Hindus. 
  • A 2022 report¹⁰ by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) at Rutgers University revealed a shocking rise in anti-Hindu hate online and its parallels with antisemitic rhetoric, amplifying concerns of normalized Hinduphobia in public and digital spaces. 
  • Another study by NCRI detailed the inauthentic cyber activity from Khalistani extremist accounts¹¹ that preceded and amplified the attacks on Hindu temples. 

Institutional Apathy

Unfortunately, Canadian institutions, including the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and provincial human rights bodies, have yet to prioritize Hinduphobia. Many acts of violence against Hindus remain unclassified as hate crimes, further marginalizing our community and undermining our safety.

Hindu Canadians are a small but integral part of Canadian society, contributing significantly across various fields. Your urgent action and support will help escalate our demand for equality to the Canadian authorities. Their recognition of this critical problem is an essential step to ensuring the safety and equality of Hindus in the multicultural tapestry of Canada.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned