New Delhi: A statue of Mahatma Gandhi at a Hindu temple in Canada was desecrated on Wednesday (July 13, 2022) and is being investigated as a hate crime, local police said. A five-metre-tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi was defaced in a Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill, a city in the province of Ontario. According to media reports, the man defaced the idol with “graphic words” including “rapist” and “Khalistan”. The statue of Mahatma Gandhi is said to have been in its present location, a peace park, for more than three decades.
Meanwhile, India said this “criminal, heinous act” of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada.
“We are deeply pained by the desecration of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Vishnu Temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, heinous act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We call on the Canadian authorities to investigate this hate crime. In touch,” the Consulate General of India, Toronto tweeted.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa also reacted to the incident and said they were “deeply saddened” by this hate crime that seeks to “terrorize” the Indian community.
“We are deeply saddened by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. This has increased anxiety and insecurity among the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government for investigation and ensure speedy justice to the perpetrators. has done.” Said in a tweet.
We are deeply saddened by this hate crime trying to terrorize the Indian community. This has increased anxiety and insecurity among the Indian community here. We have contacted the Government of Canada to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice expeditiously. https://t.co/wDe3BUpEWi— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) 13 July 2022