"Hindu Forum Canada responds to allegations, defends 'peaceful protest' in Brampton"

Brampton [Canada] (The Uttam Hindu): The Hindu Forum for Canada (HFC) has rejected accusations of 'inciting speech' during a peaceful protest against the attacks on Hindu temples in Brampton, expressing concern over what it called the "misinterpretation of events."

The forum has also called on Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown to retract his allegations and acknowledge the Hindu community as a "peaceful, law-abiding" part of Canadian society.

"Hindu Forum Canada is deeply troubled by the recent distortion of events surrounding a peaceful protest at a temple, where the words of a respected priest have been misrepresented to promote a narrative of incitement and violence. The priest's message was clear, heartfelt, and entirely free of hostility," the Hindu Forum Canada stated in a post on X.

On November 3, an Indian consular camp was reportedly disrupted by violent actions allegedly carried out by Khalistani separatists. In response, a priest and other community members held a protest against the violence, but they were interrupted.

Subsequently, thousands of Canadian Hindus protested, expressing their outrage over repeated attacks on Hindu temples and urging the Canadian government to take stronger action against the extremists targeting religious sites.

On November 5, the Hindu Sabha suspended priest Rajinder Parsad for his "controversial involvement" in the November 3 protest at the temple.

The Hindu Forum for Canada clarified that the priest was interrupted during the protest, with others taking over the speaking role. This disruption was wrongly interpreted as hateful rhetoric attributed to the priest.

"This interruption has been mistakenly portrayed as incitement, despite the priest's message being entirely nonviolent. Multiple video recordings from various angles confirm that Hindus gathered peacefully within their place of worship—a right guaranteed under Canadian law—exercising their freedom to assemble," the forum emphasized.

In response to the incident at the Hindu Sabha temple, Mayor Patrick Brown highlighted the priest's suspension and a statement from the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council.

"The Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwara Council condemned the violence at the Hindu Sabha on Sunday night. We must remember that we share more in common than what divides us. In difficult times, we must not let agitators fan the flames of division. The leadership of both Sikh and Hindu communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is committed to peace and unity, free from hatred and violence," Brown stated on X.

"I urge everyone in the community to refrain from responding to violence and hate. Law enforcement will take action. It is their responsibility. We must continue to be a country where the rule of law prevails," the mayor added.

The Hindu Forum for Canada expressed disappointment with the mayor's handling of the situation.

"We demand that Mayor Brown retract these unfounded accusations and acknowledge the Hindu community as a peaceful, law-abiding part of Canada's multicultural society. We remain united in our commitment to peace, justice, and a fair, fact-based approach to public service, calling for accountability and truth in this matter," the forum's statement said.

The group criticized the mayor for his silence in the face of rising Hinduphobia and attacks on temples, accusing him of misusing the priest’s suspension letter—typically a private employment document—to unfairly cast Hindus in a negative light. "This action singles out the Hindu community, labeling their peaceful gatherings as 'violent,' while similar assemblies by other communities are recognized as their right to free expression," the statement concluded.