As of today, Sanatan Dharma, one of the world’s oldest faith, is practised by 1.3 billion people worldwide. It is abundantly known across every region around the world, that those who practise “Sanatan Dharma,” known as “Sanatanis” or “Hindus,” are peace-loving, law-abiding, progressive, open to assimilation, and very supportive of their local communities and neighbourhoods. Since generations, Hindus have a long and storied history of contributing to the well-being of nations to which they have relocated. Not only do Hindus contribute economically, but they also carry forward an admirable and incredibly rich Sanatan tradition, values and history. This can be observed in practices like Yoga and Ayurveda, as well as in Sanatan festivals, dances, food, and music. All of which, bring bliss, joy and happiness to people all over the world.
Despite being peaceful, friendly, and contributing citizens in several jurisdictions around the world, Hindus continue to be the most persecuted minority community in the annals of humankind. Most recently, Hindus and their temples faced violence and vandalism at hands of Pakistan’s foreign spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sponsored and backed Khalistani extremist outfits like “Sikhs for Justice” (SFJ) in Australia. SFJ is notorious for its rhetoric and narrative building activities which glorify Khalistani terrorism and terrorists. The promotion of which became ISI’s mandated work as a part of its K2 (Kashmir and Khalistan) Desk, post having lost the India-Pakistan War of 1971, which led to the creation of “Bangladesh” and landed more than 93000 Pakistan Army Prisoners of War (POW) in Indian Jails. India however, respectfully retuned Pakistani Army POWs as a compassionate humanitarian gesture. Since 2020, ISI-affiliated groups like SFJ have staged worldwide propaganda rallies promoting a fictitious and unqualified “Khalistan Referendum”. The referendum proposes the creation of a new state “Khalistan,” which is to be carved out from within Indian territory and culminating at the Wagah Border (Indo-Pak International border).
In this recent global wave of attacks on Hindus, Hindu temples, and anti-Indian activities in US, UK, Canada, and most recently in Canada and Australia by proscribed radical extremist outfits like SFJ appear to be well organised attempts by Pakistan’s deep state to divert attention away from its own economic challenges back home.
Pakistan’s economy is in the throes of total collapse. The current exchange rate of 270 Pakistani Rupees to 1 United States Dollar is a record low for the Pakistani currency. Exacerbating the situation, fuel and gas costs have skyrocketed due to surging inflation, leading to black-market deals and shortages of food and other essentials in many areas. However, this has not deterred Pakistan’s backing for its proxy war against India based on their sectarian belief that India is a Hindu state, which in their view contrary to Islamic Pakistan’s interests.
So far, in the period of three weeks, four Hindu temples have been vandalised and Indian diaspora discriminated and attacked by ISI backed Khalistani extremists: the incidents can be mapped as the Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne on January 12, the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Victoria on January 16, ISKCON Temple in Melbourne on January 23, January 29 violent attack on Indian Australians in federation square, Melbourne, Australia and lastly the vandalisation of a prominent Gauri Shankar temple in Brampton, Canada on January 30.
On 30 January 2023, anti-India graffiti was sprayed on a wall of the Gauri Shankar Mandir (temple) in Brampton, Canada. This is the third time in the past nine months that a Toronto-area temple has been vandalised by Khalistani extremists.
Similarly in Australia, on January 29, Khalistani extremists assaulted Indian Australians waving the Indian tricolour in Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia as a sign of protest against the illegal “Khalistan Referendum.” According to the Australian Hindu Association, thirty to forty violent Khalistani radicals armed with specialised equipment attacked unarmed Hindus.
On January 23, 2023, Khalistani fanatics defaced the Hare Krishna Temple (ISKCON Temple) in Melbourne’s Albert Park . The resident monk at the temple, Arjun Saka, stated, “This was hate speech and religious slander. This was hate speech and religious vilification. The motive is very clear: to gain international attention by targeting places of worship.” The temple’s director of communications, Bhakta Das, stated that both local Hindus and Sikhs were shaken by recent occurrences. He added that “Some people are trying to cause disruption between the Hindu and Sikh community and it has to be found out”.
Earlier last month, On January 16, 2023, the historically significant Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs, Victoria was vandalised. These cowardly attacks against the Hindu population in Australia accelerated after January 15, 2023, when the Khalistani extremists planned a car rally to drum up support for the failed fictitious Khalistani referendum, to which fewer than 200 individuals showed up.
Prior to that, on January 12, 2023, Khalistani extremists damaged the Swaminarayan temple in the Mill Park neighbourhood of Melbourne with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti.
In view of recent attacks that mirror a global trend, these highly condemnable instances of vandalism of Hindu temples and blatant hate against Hindus and India in global jurisdictions are clearly premeditated and organised attempts to promote hatred and division among the peaceful multi-faith and multi-cultural Indian diaspora, most notably among Hindus and Sikhs. Moreover, individuals who have targeted Hindu temples and been motivated by hatred towards Hindus and India should be held accountable. This includes those responsible for the desecration of four Hindu temples in Canada and Australia and violent attacks on peaceful people of Indian origin. In addition, the local governments in these jurisdictions need to demonstrate corrective remedial efforts as violence anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. They should consider how such violent extremists operate with impunity and are freely allowed to glorify terrorists and hold illegitimate referendums against other sovereign nations on their territories.
CIHS - Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies 