In a recent incident in Surrey, British Columbia, the Shri Mata Bhameshwari Durga temple found itself at the center of controversy as it was defaced with graffiti carrying anti-India and pro-Khalistan messages. This unfortunate incident unfolded just a day before the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) announced its intentions to "lock down" India's Consulate in Vancouver, Hindustan Times reported.
The vandalism was discovered on Thursday morning and promptly reported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) by concerned individuals. Fortunately, the graffiti has since been removed, according to Rohit, a member of the temple management.
This incident has connections to a larger geopolitical context, as India's high commission in Ottawa had previously alerted Canada's foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada, about a perceived threat to its diplomatic premises in Vancouver. SFJ had called upon pro-Khalistan elements to stage a lockdown of the Vancouver Consulate on Friday in response to the enforced cancellation of the Khalistan Referendum, originally scheduled for September 10 at a school in Surrey.
The cancellation of the referendum stemmed from concerns raised by Canadian authorities regarding promotional materials that prominently featured an image of an AK-47 machine gun, prompting them to withdraw permission to hold the voting at a public school.
