What's happened
A violent clash occurred at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, Ontario, during a protest involving pro-Hindu groups and Sikh activists. The incident, which escalated tensions between India and Canada, led to multiple arrests and condemnation from both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian officials.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Leyland Cecco in The Guardian, Modi described the incident as a 'deliberate attack' and blamed Sikh activists for the violence. He stated, 'Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve.' Meanwhile, Namita Singh from The Independent reported that the clash occurred during a consular camp, with demonstrators holding Khalistan flags. Singh noted that Canadian officials have condemned the violence, with Trudeau stating, 'The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable.' This highlights the conflicting narratives surrounding the incident, with each side blaming the other for inciting violence.
How we got here
The clash follows escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, particularly after Canada accused India of involvement in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Pro-Khalistan demonstrations have been a source of friction, with both nations exchanging diplomatic expulsions.
More on these topics
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Narendra Damodardas Modi is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, and is the Member of Parliament for Varanasi.
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Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a Canadian Sikh separatist leader involved with the Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent Sikh state.
Born in India, Nijjar migrated to Canada in the mid-1990s.
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Justin Pierre James Trudeau PC MP is a Canadian politician who has served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada since 2015 and has been the leader of the Liberal Party since 2013.
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Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest c
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the second-most populous country, the seventh-largest country by land area, and the most populous democracy in the world.