VANCOUVER, Canada (Diya TV) — A wave of coordinated acts of vandalism targeting Hindu and Sikh religious sites in Canada has renewed calls for urgent government action against Khalistani extremism, a movement advocating for a separate Sikh homeland. The recent defacement of the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey and the Ross Street Gurdwara in Vancouver with pro-Khalistan graffiti has sparked widespread outrage across religious communities, uniting both Hindu-Canadians and Sikh-Canadians in condemnation.
On April 19, the Laxmi Narayan Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in British Columbia, was spray-painted with pro-Khalistan slogans. The Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce shared a video of the vandalism on the social media platform X, calling the act “Hinduphobia” and an attack on Canada’s multicultural values. “We strongly condemn the vandalism of Laxmi Narayan Mandir in BC by Khalistani extremists,” the Chamber stated. “This act of hate has no place in Canada. Silence is not an option.”
In a disturbing parallel incident, the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS), which operates the historic Ross Street Gurdwara in Vancouver, reported that its premises were also defaced with slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad.” In a statement, the Society condemned the act and clarified that the Gurdwara has long stood for Hindu-Sikh unity and recently refused to allow Khalistani separatists in its Nagar Kirtan procession. “A small group of Sikh separatists defaced our sacred walls with divisive slogans,” the KDS said, describing the graffiti as part of “an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instill fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community.”
Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, representing Ottawa Nepean, strongly criticized the repeated targeting of Hindu temples and religious institutions. He pointed to a troubling pattern of attacks that have occurred over several years. “This latest graffiti is yet another chilling reminder of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism,” Arya said in a statement posted on X. “Well-organized, well-funded, and backed by significant political clout, these elements are brazenly asserting their dominance and successfully silencing Hindu voices across Canada.”
Arya emphasized that both Hindu and Sikh communities must rise together and demand immediate, decisive action from authorities at all levels of government. “It is time for Hindu-Canadians, jointly with the vast majority of our Sikh-Canadian brothers and sisters, to rise with urgency. Silence is no longer an option,” he stated.
These incidents have reignited concerns about extremist ideologies threatening the fabric of Canadian multiculturalism. Community leaders say the attacks are not only hate crimes but also deliberate attempts to undermine decades of peaceful coexistence between Sikh and Hindu Canadians.
“What happened at both the Laxmi Narayan Mandir and the Ross Street Gurdwara shows that Khalistani extremism targets anyone who stands for unity,” said a spokesperson from the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce. “This is not just a Hindu issue or a Sikh issue—it’s a Canadian issue.”
Law enforcement agencies have yet to release details about suspects or arrests, but pressure is mounting on the federal government to treat these acts with the seriousness they deserve. Community organizations are calling for increased protection of religious sites and more proactive measures to counter extremism in all its forms.
As tensions rise, many Canadians are using this moment to stress unity over division. “We must not let the actions of a few extremists divide us,” said one Vancouver Sikh leader, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. “Our communities are stronger when we stand together against hate.”
Both Hindu and Sikh leaders continue to call on authorities to ensure that these acts of religious desecration are not allowed to go unchecked and that the perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly.
