Trouble in Canada

THE deplorable violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton has laid bare Canada’s inept handling of a sensitive situation. This is a new low for the Justin Trudeau government, which has been recklessly burning bridges with India following the murder of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. Trudeau has condemned the temple incident, saying that every Canadian has the right to practise his or her faith freely and safely, but he owes an explanation for letting anti-India elements have their way with impunity. The allegation that the police targeted Hindu devotees and tried to protect Khalistan supporters has added fuel to the fire.

Hindu-Sikh tensions in the Maple Country are closely linked to the deterioration in India-Canada relations. Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison’s allegation that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered a campaign of violence, intimidation and intelligence-gathering targeting Sikh separatists in that country has raised India’s hackles. The charge — dismissed as absurd and baseless by New Delhi — has also emboldened pro-Khalistan Canadians to up the ante against the Indian government. Their anti-India protests have put them on a collision course with Indian-origin Canadian citizens who wear the Tricolour on their sleeve.

Canada, which proudly regards itself as a peace-loving land of opportunities, needs to deal firmly with those who threaten communal harmony and public order. It must crack down on troublemakers and rabble-rousers, no matter which community they belong to. Allowing the misuse of Canadian territory to spew venom against India — all in the name of freedom of expression — is undermining the Trudeau government’s diplomatic and democratic credentials. At stake is the safety and security of the law-abiding members of the diaspora. No less important are earnest efforts to salvage India-Canada ties before it’s too late.