On November 3rd (local time), a clash occurred at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Canada, where members of Khalistani groups reportedly attacked Hindu devotees. The incident unfolded after Hindu worshippers protested outside the temple in response to anti-India slogans raised by Khalistani supporters marking the anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots in Punjab, which followed the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Local law enforcement, including the Peel Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), arrived on the scene, but rather than detaining the Khalistani individuals, some Peel Police officers reportedly confronted the Hindu devotees. Videos of the event have since circulated widely on social media.
Khalistani elements attacked Hindu devotees at Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Peel Police officer attacked Hindus instead of arresting Khalistanis (Left: Khalistanis attacking Hindus/ Right: Police officer who attacked Hindus)
Daniel Bordman, a senior correspondent for the National Telegraph, shared several videos of the incident on social media, along with other journalists and local residents. Filmmaker Sangita Menon Iyer also posted two videos of the altercation on X. She wrote, “Unbelievable events at Hindu Sabha Temple, Brampton. Sharing as received. Mandir devotees are being targeted and harassed. This is deeply concerning & unacceptable.” She urged the Peel Police and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, to intervene.
In one of Bordman’s videos, he explains how the conflict began “You can see that violence was instigated by the Khalistani in the black vest as he approached the Hindu devotees and gave them a push, and then the rest of the Khalistanis attack with flags on wood.”
And in another, a Peel Police officer is seen moving into the crowd to confront Hindu devotees, allegedly pushing them back to protect Khalistani participants. He wrote, “The RCMP start attacking Hindu worshippers on their own temple grounds in Surrey, BC. Watch as an RCMP officer goes into the crowd to go after Hindu devotees after pushing them back to protect the Khalistanis who came to harass the temple goers on Diwali. Punching Hindus in the head and beating them with batons caught on video.” Initially, Bordman identified the officers as being from the RCMP but later clarified they were Peel Police officers.
Another X user, Bhim Singh Gill, posted photos of the officers involved in the incident.
The officer identified in connection with the altercation, based on a video shared by Peel Police on TikTok, is Aditya Pande, with badge number 4673.
In a separate video, a police officer is seen engaging with a Hindu man who had thrown down a Khalistani flag. Bordman wrote, “Two-tier policing in Canada at its finest. You can burn the Canadian flag, you can stomp on an Israeli flag in front of a synagogue, you can rip up Indian flags while screaming threats at people. But if you step on a Khalistani flag, the cops will attack you.”
The Canadian Organization for Hindu Heritage Education has condemned the incident. In a statement, they said, “We must blame and hold responsible the @PeelPolice and @patrickbrownont for the organized violent attacks on Hindus by #Khalistani thugs that occurred this afternoon at the Hindu Sabha Mandir. They disregarded the Oct. 30, 2024, urgent letter sent to them by the Hindu Federation requesting increased police protection for temples from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 due to Diwali festivities. We saw that proper police protection had not been arranged at the Hindu temple despite it being publicly known that a consular service was scheduled there today. Compare this to the @VancouverPD response—creating a buffer zone around a gurudwara. @ChiefNish has completely exposed the deep #Hinduphobia in his police force—this pattern of attacks on Hindu temples is happening on your watch. @JustinTrudeau also has no escape from blame for encouraging this criminal behavior and mindset. Violent attackers must be prosecuted, and a change in police attitude toward Hindus must take place.”
Meanwhile, the Khalistani organization Sikhs For Justice has claimed victimhood. In a statement, its founder, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, accused Hindus of provoking the clash by chanting “Hindustan Zindabad” and “Modi Zindabad” in front of the protesting Khalistani supporters.
Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya says, "A line has been crossed"
Canadian MP Chandra Arya, of Indian descent, voiced his concerns about the attack, stating that a red line has been crossed. In a post on X, he wrote, “A red line has been crossed by Canadian Khalistani extremists today. The attack by Khalistanis on the Hindu-Canadian devotees inside the premises of the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton shows how deep and brazen Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada. I begin to feel that there is a small grain of truth in the reports that, in addition to the Canadian political apparatus, Khalistanis have effectively infiltrated our law enforcement agencies. No wonder that under ‘freedom of expression,’ Khalistani extremists are getting a free pass in Canada. As I have been saying for long, Hindu-Canadians, for the security and safety of our community, need to step up, assert their rights, and hold politicians accountable.”
Both Prime Minister Trudeau and opposition leader Poilievre do not mention the Khalistanis who attacked a Hindu temple
Arya publicly denounced Khalistani elements for the attack, while Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre did not address the issue of Khalistani influence at all. In their statements condemning the attack, both leaders prioritized their political interests and appeasement of their voter base over the safety of Canadian Hindus.
In a post, Trudeau wrote, “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. Thank you to the Peel Regional Police for swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident.”
In a post, Poilievre wrote, “Completely unacceptable to see violence targeting worshippers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today. All Canadians should be free to practice their faith in peace. Conservatives condemn this violence unequivocally. I will unite our people and end the chaos.”
Notably, Pannun recently encouraged Sikh youth to target Hindus in Punjab during Diwali and called for Hindu temples and Hindus to avoid setting off firecrackers during the festival. Unable to take action in India, their frustrations appear to have manifested in Canada.
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