Last update:November 12, 2024, 00:50 IST

Brampton Mandir officials said the event was canceled after receiving official information from Peel Regional Police.

Authorities at Brampton Triveni Mandir say they are saddened because Canadians do not feel safe visiting Hindu temples across the country. (IMAGE: BRAMPTON TRIVENI MANDIR)

The Brampton Triveni Mandir administration canceled an event on Monday due to threats of violent protests from Khalistan separatists in Canada.

The event, scheduled for November 17, was canceled and would have seen the handing out of life certificates to Sikh and Hindu residents. The event was organized in cooperation with the Indian Consulate.

Temple administration said the event was canceled due to official intelligence from Peel Regional Police who told them there was an “extremely high and imminent threat level of violent demonstrations.”

Threatening posters posted on social media by the group Khalistani Sikhs for Justice also called for violent protests outside Hindu temples.

“On the advice of Chief Constable Nishan Duraiappah, we must make the appropriate decision to cancel to ensure the safety of Brampton Triveni Mandir worshipers, community visitors and the general public,” Brampton Triveni Mandir authorities said in a press release.

Temple authorities also said they were “deeply saddened that Canadians now do not feel safe coming to Hindu temples across Canada.”

“We apologize to everyone in the community who depended on the event. We are deeply saddened that Canadians now do not feel safe coming to Hindu temples in Canada,” the statement said.

“We are calling on Peel Police to respond to the threats circulating against Brampton Triveni Mandir and to provide security guarantees to the Canadian Hindu community and the general public,” it adds.

Khalistan separatists attacked worshipers outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton in October and beat them with sticks. Video footage showing Khalistan separatists waving the group’s flags and beating worshipers has gone viral, raising questions about the security of places of worship in Canada.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reacted to the incident and said: “We condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by extremists and separatists at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario. We also hope that those who engage in acts of violence will be brought to justice. We remain deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada.