Hindu temple in Canada cancels event over 'extremely high threat'

The Brampton Triveni temple in Canada has cancelled a consular event after the Canadian police warned them of an "extremely high and imminent" threat level of violent protests.

The Life Certificate event, organised by the Consulate General of India, Toronto, was scheduled for November 17 at the temple premises. It was part of the consulate's many camps for issuing Life Certificates for pension purposes.

On Monday, the temple authorities said the event was cancelled due to "official intelligence from Peel Regional Police, stating that there is an Extremely High and Imminent Threat Level of violent protests".

"...We must make the appropriate decision to cancel to ensure the safety of Brampton Triveni Mandir devotees, community visitors, and the general public," the temple authorities said in a statement.

"We are deeply saddened that Canadians now feel unsafe coming to Hindu Temples in Canada," it added.

Temple authorities called on Peel Police to address the threats being circulated against the temple and provide security guarantees to the Canadian Hindu community and the general public.

The cancellation came almost a week after protestors carrying Khalistani flags clashed with devotees at a Hindu Sabha temple and disrupted an event co-organised by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate at Brampton.

Last week, the Consulate General of India in Toronto said it was cancelling some of its scheduled consular camps after the Canadian security authorities conveyed their inability to provide minimum security protection to its organisers.

After the protests at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton on November 3, the Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi remains "deeply concerned" about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada.

India condemned the attack with an expectation that those indulging in violence "will be prosecuted".

The relations between India and Canada have come under severe strain following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd."

Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was designated a terrorist by India.

India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.