‘Hindu lives don’t matter to opposition’: BJP attacks Congress for ‘silence’ on Canadian temple attack | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Monday accused Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi of remaining silent on the recent attacks on Hindu temples in Canada, which he said suggested a lack of concern for Hindu lives.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Bhandari said: “It is painful that when all parties have to agree on the issue of national interest, Priyanka Vadra, who posts ten tweets on Gaza, and Rahul Gandhi, who speaks for the minorities in the country , remain silent when Hindus are attacked in Bangladesh or Canada. This makes it clear that for the Indian opposition and for the Congress party, Hindu lives do not matter.”
Bhandari also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate response to the attacks and said, “From Bangladesh to Canada, when Indians face a crisis or when fellow countrymen are in need, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands with them. When Hindus are attacked – whether in Bangladesh or Canada – Prime Minister Modi speaks out and calls for action.”
This comes as more than a thousand Canadian Hindus gathered outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on Monday evening (local time) to protest the recent attacks on Hindu temples by Khalistani extremists following an incident in which the temple was reportedly targeted by pro-Khalistan activists.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had condemned the attack on X and called on Canadian authorities to ensure justice. “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally disgusting are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law,” PM Modi posted.
External Affairs Minister Jaishankar also responded on Tuesday, calling the attack ‘very worrying’. Addressing reporters in Canberra, where he is on an official visit, Jaishankar said: “What happened yesterday at the Hindu temple in Canada was very worrying. The statements made by our official spokesperson and the Prime Minister indicate how deeply we feel about this issue.”
The controversy comes to the surface amid escalating tensions between India and Canada following Canada’s allegations last month that Indian agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
Canada recently investigated several Indian diplomats, further straining bilateral ties. India has dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and politically motivated, accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of exploiting anti-India sentiment for domestic political gain.