Canadian law enforcement investigates desecration of gurdwara in Vancouver
Officers from the Vancouver Police Department said that they are committed to an investigation during a meeting at the Khalsa Diwan Diwan Society or KDS’ Ross Street Gurdwara
Toronto: Canadian law enforcement has assured outraged Indo-Canadian community members that it is seriously investigating the desecration of a historic gurdwara in Vancouver on Saturday.
Officers from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) made this commitment during a meeting at the Khalsa Diwan Diwan Society or KDS’ Ross Street Gurdwara on Monday.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of Hindu temples, other gurdwaras and community organisations, which met in solidarity in Vancouver on Monday. The venue was the Ross Street Gurdwara, and among the attendees were members of the management of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, which was also desecrated with similar pro-Khalistan and anti-India graffiti in the early hours of Saturday.
In a statement issued after the meeting, KDS’ vice-resident Jagdeep Singh Sanghera said, “We are thankful for the support we have received from the VPD in the interest of public safety. We are confident that the VPD will find those responsible for this reprehensible act.”
After the incident occurred, KDS, which was formed in 1906, had blamed pro-Khalistan extremist forces for the spray-painting of separatist graffiti on the outer walls and gates of the gurdwara.
The gurdwara’s recording secretary Joginder Sunner said police has provided round-the-clock protection to it since the episode.
Lakshmi Narayan Mandir spokesperson Parshotam Goel, who was present at the meeting, said, “They (the community) feel outraged. Somebody is trying of damage harmony.”
“The way we look at it, this is a hate crime,” he added.
Goel said the temple management has sought a meeting with officers of the Surrey Police Service over the vandalisation.
He felt such targeting of places of worship was happening because of the “accommodation” provided to extremist elements by the government of then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Hopefully, with a change of guard, they (the new government) will do something,” he said. Canada’s federal election is scheduled for April 28.
Maninder Gill, managing director of the Surrey-based Radio India, said, “Both the Hindu and Sikh communities have expressed frustration and concern over these repeated acts of vandalism.”
Several community groups have condemned the twin attacks, including the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce, the Coalition of Hindus of North America and the National Alliance of Indo-Canadians, among others.
