- Sunday, May 04, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
CANADIAN ministers have strongly condemned the vandalisation of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at a temple in the Greater Toronto Area and local law-enforcement forces were investigating the incident as a “hate-motivating” one, India’s Hindustan Times daily reported.
The 20-feet-tall bronze statue situated in Peace Park at a Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill in the GTA was desecrated in the early hours of Wednesday (13) as it was found sprayed with pro-Khalistani and abusive graffiti.
India had issued to Global Affairs Canada, the North American nation’s foreign ministry, a formal diplomatic communique in connection with the incident and sought an urgent probe and action to arrest the guilty, the report said. The message stressed that the act of vandalisation had caused “a sense of panic and insecurity” within the members of the Indo-Canadian community.
#Canada: Mahatma Gandhi’s statue was vandalised at Vishnu Mandir in Richmond Hill, Ontario, by some unknown miscreants.
The police is investigating the matter as a hate crime. pic.twitter.com/d0dunhhVZo
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) July 14, 2022
Top ministers in Canada subsequently slammed the incident.
Foreign minister Melanie Joly said in a tweet on Thursday (14), “Hate has no place in Canada.” She also said that she stood with the country’s Hindu communities in “denouncing the desecration” of the statue.
“People should be able to go to their places of worship in peace and with respect,” she said.
Hate has no place in Canada.
I stand with Hindu communities in denouncing the desecration of the statue of Gandhi outside of @vishnumandir.
People should be able to go to their places of worship in peace and with respect. https://t.co/4HDP1756Zl
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) July 14, 2022
Defence minister Anita Anand, who is of Indian origin, said in a tweet that she was “appalled” that the statue of the iconic freedom fighter was “defaced with graffiti”.
“We must always stand up against such hatred and call it out whenever it occurs,” she added. Her post was also retweeted by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.
I’m appalled that the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the @vishnumandir has been defaced with graffiti. We must always stand up against such hatred and call it out whenever it occurs. I trust that the @YRP will conduct a thorough investigation. https://t.co/8eK3IPPahS
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) July 14, 2022
The case is being investigated by the York Regional Police (YRP) which said in a statement on Thursday that it “does not tolerate hate crime in any form”. YRP chief Jim MacSween was quoted as saying by the Times, “We will not tolerate hate in any form. Specially trained hate crime investigators are involved and this incident is being investigated thoroughly.”
“Investigators are asking any witnesses, anyone with information or video surveillance footage in that area, to please come forward,” the release added.
The Indo-Canadian community expressed outrage over the vandalisation of the statue.
Canada India Foundation chair Satish Thakkar said, “Desecration of the Gandhi statue is not only an attack on what Mahatma Gandhi stood for, but also on all the people who have followed his ideals and promoted fellowship.”
CIF strongly condemns the vandalism at Mahatma Gandhi statue with graffiti at Peace Park @Vishnumandir. CIF will continue to work with all stakeholders in community towards strengthening Canada’s principles of #peace, #equity, #inclusion and #diversity. pic.twitter.com/vHyiy1Y0LJ
— Canada India Foundation (@Cif_Official1) July 14, 2022
The Indian consulate general in Toronto reacted to the incident saying, “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.”
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.
— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) July 13, 2022
