Mahatma Gandhi's statue desecrated at Hindu temple in Canada, India says 'hateful act' has 'deeply hurt' sentiments

The High Commission of India in Ottawa said that they have approached the Canadian government to investigate and "ensure perpetrators are brought to justice" swiftly.

File photo (Credits: Reuters)

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, the local police said. A five-metre-tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi was defaced at a Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill, a city in Ontario province. According to media reports, the person defaced the statue with "graphic words", including "rapist" and "Khalistan". Mahatma Gandhi's statue is said to be at its current location, a peace park, for over three decades.

India, meanwhile, said that this "criminal, hateful act" of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada.

"We are distressed at the desecration of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada.  We are in contact with Canadian authorities to investigate this hate crime," the Consulate General of India, Toronto, tweeted.

The High Commission of India in Ottawa also reacted to the incident and said that they are "deeply anguished" by this hate crime that seeks to "terrorize" the Indian community. 

"We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly," they said in a tweet.

We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly. https://t.co/wDe3BUpEWi

— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) July 13, 2022