TORONTO: The statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized on a university campus in Canada’s British Columbia province days after another statue of the global peace icon in that country was attacked by Khalistan supporters.
In the latest incident, the statue in Peace Square on Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus was vandalized, the Consulate-General of India in Vancouver said on Tuesday.
“We strongly condemn the heinous crime of destroying the statue of Messenger of Peace Mahatma Gandhiji, @SFU Burnaby Campus,” the consulate said in a tweet.
“Canadian authorities are urged to urgently investigate the matter and swiftly bring perpetrators to justice @MEAIndia,” she added.
The incident came after Khalistani supporters defaced and spray-painted a Mahatma Gandhi statue near City Hall in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, on March 23.
In July last year, a Mahatma Gandhi statue at a Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill, Canada, was vandalized in strong condemnation by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
“We are dismayed by the desecration of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Vishnu Temple in Richmond Hill. This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the feelings of the Native American community in Canada,” a tweet said at the time.
Canada has recently seen a surge in anti-India activity by Khalistan supporters who have vandalized some Hindu temples.
A Ram Mandir in Mississauga was defaced with anti-India graffiti by “Khalistani extremists” on February 13, drawing a backlash from the Indian consulate in Toronto.
“We strongly condemn the defacing of Ram Mandir in Mississauga with anti-India graffiti. We have urged the Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take immediate action against the perpetrators,” the Consulate of India in Toronto tweeted.
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