Canada ministers condemn vandalisation of Mahatma Gandhi statue

India had issued a formal diplomatic communique, called a note verbale, to Canada’s foreign ministry, seeking urgent police investigation and action to arrest those responsible for the vandalisation

TORONTO: Ministers in Canada have condemned the vandalisation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), while local law enforcement is investigating it as a “hate-motivated incident”.

Pro-Khalistan message on the pedestal of the Gandhi statue which was vandalised on Wednesday.

The desecration occurred in the early hours of Wednesday as the statue was found sprayed with graffiti that was pro-Khalistan along with abusive terms. The 20-foot-tall bronze statue is situated in the Peace Park at the Vishnu Mandir in Richmond Hill in the GTA.

India had issued a formal diplomatic communique, called a note verbale, on Wednesday to Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, seeking urgent police investigation and action to arrest those responsible for the vandalisation. The message stressed the incident had caused “a sense of panic and insecurity” within the Indo-Canadian community.

In a tweet on Thursday, Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly said, “Hate has no place in Canada.”

She added she stood with Hindu communities in “denouncing the desecration” of the statue. “People should be able to go to their places of worship in peace and with respect,” she concluded.

Earlier, Minister of National Defence Anita Anand, who is of Indian origin, tweeted she was “appalled” that the statue was “defaced with graffiti”.

She added, “We must always stand up against such hatred and call it out whenever it occurs.” Her post was retweeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The case is being investigated by the York Regional Police (YRP). In a statement issued on Thursday, it said it “does not tolerate hate crime in any form”. YRP chief Jim MacSween said, “We will not tolerate hate in any form. Specially trained hate crime investigators are involved and this incident is being investigated thoroughly.”

“Investigators are asking any witnesses, anyone with information or video surveillance footage in that area, to please come forward,” the release added.

Meanwhile, the Indo-Canadian community expressed outrage over the episode. Canada India Foundation chair Satish Thakkar said, “Desecration of the Gandhi statue is not only an attack on what Mahatma Gandhi stood for, but also on all the people who have followed his ideals and promoted fellowship.”