Khalistan supporters vandalize Gandhi's statue in Canada again

Another statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised at a university campus in Burnaby, Canada, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver announced on Tuesday, just days after another statue was targeted in Ontario.

In the latest incident, the statue had been placed at Peace Square at Simon Fraser Univerity's Burnaby campus.

"We strongly condemn heinous crime of vandalising the statute of harbinger of peace Mahatma Gandhiji SFU Burnaby campus," the Consulate General tweeted.

"The Canadian authorities are urged to investigate the matter urgently and bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly," it added.

The incident comes just after anti-India elements defaced and spray-painted a statue of Mahatma Gandhi near the City Hall in the town of Hamilton in Ontario on March 23.

While Hamilton Police said they are investigating the case, attacks by Khalistani backers on Indian installations and temples are on the rise in the North American nation.

Starting 2023, a string of attacks has been unleashed upon Hindu temples across Canada with close to half-a-dozen incidents of vandalism, spiteful graffiti, break-ins and burglaries.

In July last year, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at the Vishnu Mandir in Richmond Hill in the Greater Toronto Area was vandalised and defaced with graphic words.

Canada has witnessed a surge in anti-India activities recently by Khalistan supporters who have vandalised some Hindu temples.

A Ram Mandir in Mississauga was defaced by "Khalistani extremists" with anti-India graffiti on February 13, drawing strong reaction from the Indian Consulate in Toronto.

"We strongly condemn the defacing of Ram Mandir in Mississauga with anti-India graffiti. We have requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action on perpetrators," India’s Consulate in Toronto had tweeted.