Anger against Khalistanis spills onto Canada streets; Hindus, Sikhs unite

After the violent attack by a Khalistani mob on Hindu devotees at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada, on the weekend, thousands of Indian-origin people took to the streets in protest on Monday. This was a rare show of strength by the law-abiding community that had been pushed to organise and mobilise after the violence. It was also a show of unity between Hindus and Sikhs against the small number of Khalistanis, who have been mollycoddled in Canada by the Justin Trudeau administration.

While a group of protesters blocked a road, others condemned the attack by the Khalistani mob and appealed to the Hindu community to have a relook at their support for the political parties in Canada.

Thousands of Indian-Canadians also marched in solidarity outside the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton on Monday, a day after it was attacked by Khalistanis. The march, organised by the Coalition of Hindus in North America (CoHNA), aimed to show unity and resilience in the face of the unwarranted violence by the Khalistanis.

"This is kind of an awakening for the Hindu community. They never protest like this in thousands. The Khalistanis crossed a line. And the Hindus found the need to get organised and mobilised," Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman told India Today TV.

That it was a coming together of all communities against Khalistanis was confirmed by Bordman.

"I was at the Hindu Sabha Mandir where thousands of Hindus, along with Sikhs, Jews, Christians and Iranians came out to show their support for the community after the Khalistani attack on their temple and the failure of Peel Police," he wrote on X.

Protests against the Khalistani attack and government inaction escalated and turned unruly with road blockades and vehicles vandalised in Brampton, reported Calgary-based journalist Mocha Bezirgan.

The protests, attended by both Hindus and Sikhs, also raised slogans criticising the Peel Police for mishandling the attack and failing to protect the Hindu community, calling their actions "biased".

The protestors also made it clear that it was a bunch of Khalistanis, and not Sikhs, who attacked the Hindus on the temple premises.

"Sikhs are our brothers. The Khalistanis are not Sikhs. I have Sikh friends and brothers and friends, and they are not into this [hate against the Hindu community]. I want the Canadians to know this," a protester of Indian-origin told Canada's Rebel News.

"Attacking a temple is not freedom of speech," he added. "We are together and united against these paid political stooges. Go and protest in India if you have guts. We are united."

"While attending the Sikh temple, I was told to support Khalistan, which I declined. They said, I go should back to India. This is not right. I am a Sikh, and I am here to support my Hindu brothers," told another protestor, holding the Indian flag, to Rebel News.

Reacting to a Canadian ground report that labelled the attack on Hindus and their protests as "Sikh vs Hindu", satirist and commentator Kamlesh Singh said that the conflict in Canada was not a broad religious or ethnic divide between Sikhs and Hindus.

"For sanity's sake, it's not Sikhs vs Hindus in Canada. It's Sikhs + Hindus vs a bunch of Canadian nuts who happen to be of Indian origin supported by some Canadian politicians," Singh wrote on X.

Following the Khalistani attack on Hindu devotees, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau faced criticism for his not condemning the 'Khalistanis' who were behind the attack.

"Justin Trudeau has successfully divided the Indian Diaspora in Canada for his dirty politics... I highly condemn the attack on the temple or any religious place of worship by Trudeau's khalistani elements," Union Minister of State Railway & Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu said in a statement on Monday.

Meanwhile, the front page of the Canadian daily Toronto Sun carried the headline 'A Land Divided'. "Attack on Hindu temple, with Peel cop accused of being involved, highlights how badly Trudeau has shattered this country," it said.

Trudeau has long relied on a pro-Khalistani vote bank in Canada. In the run-up to the 2025 general election, which is expected to go against Trudeau's Liberal Party, his silence makes sense.

"There has been political amnesia in Canada regarding the Khalistani issue. But the Khalistani movement has moved high up in terms of numbers during the term of Justin Trudeau," Ujjal Dosanjh, former Canadian minister, told India Today TV.

The Indian diaspora has shown that it is united against anti-India Khalistani elements being pampered by the Justin Trudeau government. With the show of strength, the community has shown that it can't be taken for granted politically.