Amritsar, November 6, 2024 — Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, denounced recent incidents of violence in Canada as a “deep-rooted conspiracy against the Sikhs,” aimed at disturbing communal harmony.
He refuted allegations that Sikhs were involved in attacks on places of worship belonging to other faiths, asserting that such actions go against the principles of the community.
Singh’s remarks followed violent clashes between Sikh and Hindu activists at a gurdwara in Malton. This incident, he stated, was misrepresented as a direct retaliation for an earlier confrontation between pro-Khalistani activists and Hindu devotees at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton.
Addressing the Canada violence, Singh criticized the portrayal of a “small altercation outside the Hindu temple,” which he claimed was inflated on social media as a broader attack by miscreants, with the intent of creating division.
“For a long time, anti-Sikh campaigns have been orchestrated to defame the community,” he said.
Condemning the events in Canada, Singh stated, “Sikhs could never even contemplate attacking temples of any faith. It simply does not happen. During the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots, when the Golden Temple, Akal Takht, and 35 other gurdwaras were attacked, not one instance of a Hindu temple being harmed occurred. This violence in Canada is a deliberate conspiracy; an ordinary altercation outside the Brampton temple has been twisted to tarnish Sikhs’ image.”
He also addressed reports of vandalism outside the Malton gurdwara, saying that instances of vehicle damage were equally condemnable. “Such acts only serve to deepen communal mistrust,” he added, urging the Sikh community to remain vigilant in the face of attempts to disrupt peace.
