Brampton Hindu Temple cancels consular event amid Khalistani protest threats in Canada

A consular event at the Brampton Triveni Temple in Canada was canceled after Canadian police issued a warning about the "extremely high and imminent" threat level of violent protests.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto had organized the Life Certificate event, which was scheduled for Nov 17 at the temple premises.

It was one of several camps run by the consulate to issue life certificates for pension purposes.

"Official intelligence from Peel Regional Police, stating that there is an extremely high and imminent threat level of violent protests," the temple authorities said on Nov 11, announcing the cancellation of the event.

“We must make the appropriate decision to cancel in order to ensure the safety of Brampton Triveni Mandir devotees, community visitors, and the general public,” the temple authorities stated in their announcement.

“We are deeply saddened that Canadians now feel unsafe coming to Hindu temples in Canada,” they added.

Temple officials urged Peel Police to respond to the threats against the temple and to ensure the safety of the Canadian Hindu community and the public at large.

The cancellation came more than a week after protesters brandishing Khalistani flags clashed with devotees at the Hindu Sabha Temple and interrupted a gathering co-organized by the temple's authorities and the Indian Consulate in Brampton.

After Canadian security authorities informed the organizers that they could not provide the minimum required security protection, the Consulate General of India in Toronto announced last week that it was canceling several planned consular camps.

The Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi remains "deeply concerned" about the safety and security of Indian citizens in Canada following the protests at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton on Nov 3.

Earlier, a group of individuals, reportedly Khalistani radicals, attacked devotees at a Hindu temple in Brampton, Canada, on Nov 3, while the temple was hosting a consular camp co-organized by the Indian High Commission.

Videos of a group of men holding Khalistani flags and beating people with sticks outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir have gone viral on social media.

Following the clash, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the presence of Khalistani supporters in Canada, stating that there is a Khalistan support base in the country.

However, he quickly clarified that they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole.

The violence was condemned by Trudeau, who emphasized that every Canadian has the right to worship freely and peacefully.

"The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely," Trudeau wrote on X.

"Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident," he added.

Previously, a BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in the city of Edmonton was vandalized with hateful anti-India comments in Canada in July this year.

India has repeatedly denied any involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has listed as a terrorist, and has alleged that Trudeau’s government is yielding to Khalistani supporters for political gain.

India has strongly rejected any involvement in Nijjar's murder, an allegation made by the Trudeau government.

Sanjay Kumar Verma, the Indian envoy, claimed that terrorists and Khalistani extremists are "deep assets" of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).

Canada summoned Verma back after declaring senior diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation into Nijjar’s murder.