Vandalism in Canada park act of 'hate crime': Indian High Commission

Chandigarh, Oct 3

Less than a week after the Brampton Municipal Corporation in Canada named a park as Shri Bhagavad Gita Park spread over 3.75 acres, an act of vandalism was reported there with the Indian High Commission denouncing it as 'hate crime'.

However, the Canadian police said there was no evidence of vandalism to the permanent sign or any park structure. The Gita Park is probably the only park outside India to be named after the Holy scripture Bhagavad Gita.

Responding to the incident, the High Commission of India in Ottawa on Sunday said, "We condemn the hate crime at the Shri Bhagavad Gita Park in Brampton. We urge Canadian authorities & @PeelPolice to investigate and take prompt action on the perpetrators."

A sign board for the Shri Bhagavad Gita Park was vandalised by miscreants.

"We learned that the sign was damaged during the original install & a city staff member brought it back for unplanned maintenance & to reprint," Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, tweeted.

He said the permanent park sign is yet to be installed.

He posted his photos on Monday of his visit to the Shani Shri Vishwakarma Hindu Temple in Brampton.

Peel Regional Police tweeted, "The permanent sign is still waiting for the lettering to be applied. There was no evidence of vandalism to the permanent sign or any park structure. It was a temporary park sign used in the park naming ceremony."

Strongly condemning the insidious and heinous act of vandalism, local Member of Parliament (MP) Sonia Sidhu said, "I know that Peel Police is taking this matter seriously and encourage anyone with knowledge of this crime or any other helpful information to contact the police."

Another MP Chandra Arya said in a statement that this is the continuation of the hate crime on the Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a consequence of increasingly vocal and organised anti-India and anti-Hindu groups in Canada.

The Brampton Municipal Corporation on September 28 named a park as Shri Bhagavad Gita Park in ward number VI.

As per the plan, the park will be beautifully landscaped and will have sculptures of Lord Krishna and Arjuna on a chariot, the two main characters of the Gita, besides some other Hindu deities.

Lauding this initiative of renaming the park, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said this park will become symbolic in further spreading the eternal message of universal brotherhood love and harmony as taught in the holy Bhagavad Gita.

Speaking at the event, the Mayor had said: "I believe in the teachings of the Gita. We are very grateful to the Hindu community and this park is a symbol of that friendship."