Brampton almost honoured controversial Indian temple tied to deaths of 2,000 people

Members of Brampton’s Muslim community are relieved that the city has scrapped a proclamation honouring an Indian temple tied to riots that left some 2,000 people dead.

Proclamations are common in Brampton Council Chambers with Mayor Patrick Brown and councillors routinely celebrating significant dates or events, championing diversity and equity causes like Black History Month or recognizing the contributions of community groups like the Salvation Army or Crime Stoppers.

But last month Brown signed a document that would have named Jan. 22 as Ayodhya Ram Mandir Day in the city commemorating a newly-completed Hindu temple in India built on the site of a former Mosque that was demolished, sparking riots and led to the deaths of approximately 2,000 people.

“The celebration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir Day on January 22 will serve as an opportunity for our community to honour and recognize the cultural and spiritual significance of this momentous occasion,” the now-cancelled proclamation reads in part.

That declaration never made it to a scheduled regular meeting of council on Jan. 24 as it was flagged by the city and did not meet community standard guidelines – a move applauded by local minority advocates who say the temple’s significance is not one of joy for the Muslim community.

In 1992, a crowd stormed the Babri Masjid in the Indian city of Ayodhya and tore the centuries-old religious site to the ground. The demolition of the Mosque sparked riots and clashes between Hindus and Muslims across the country, leaving an estimated 2,000 dead according to the BBC.

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The site holds a deep religious significance for both the Hindu and Muslim communities, with hundreds of years of history on both sides.

Saleha Faruque with advocacy group Justice For All Canada said the now-scrapped proclamation had a “significant emotional impact on Indian diaspora communities,” calling it a sign of “growing influence of Hindu nationalist ideology.”

“(Community members) believe this proclamation normalizes the destructive emergence of global Hindutva supremacy and the deterioration of the rule of law in India,” Faruque told Insauga.com.

“They also express concern over the lack of transparency around the proclamations – city councils have not openly announced the proclamations, yet they have not denied the veracity of the statements recognizing,” she said, pointing to a similar declaration made in Oakville.

The demolition of the mosque was found to be illegal by India’s Supreme Court in 2019, which also approved the construction of the temple. Faruque says it’s possible the mayor was “not fully aware or educated” about the tensions surrounding the temple’s history.

“Its destruction resulted in one of India’s worst communal riots, leading to the loss of thousands of lives, the (majority) of whom were Muslims,” Faruque said.

The proclamation was put forward by a private citizen from Brampton who, after being contacted by Insauga.com, has declined to provide a comment for this story.

A spokesperson for Mayor Brown said that despite the mayor’s signature on the document, “it is not a proclamation until it is presented by the Mayor at council.”

Brown addressed the reversed declaration at a council meeting last month, saying it “did not meet the community standards.”

“I would note to council, I know there was a number of emails that came in about a proclamation that is not on the list today – protocols that did not meet the community standards – so that is why there is only four proclamations today, and not five,” the mayor said during the meeting.

No official press releases or notices were made drawing attention to the now-cancelled Ayodhya Ram Mandir Day proclamation.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has officially opposed the construction of the temple, saying there is “concerning precedent regarding the security of places of worship in India, many of which remain damaged and destroyed.”

Faruque said changing course on the proclamation was the right move but wants to see the city formally address the stumble as “Indian media have taken advantage in spreading a false narrative about Canadian cities like Brampton.”

She said the group has heard from Christians, Dalits, Muslims and other secular Indians who “have expressed fear and anguish that such proclamations will lead to further export of hatred into Canada, including an anti-minority atmosphere in which many minorities are already suffering in India.”

“With the controversial temple’s sheer popularity among nationalist leaders of the BJP and their supporters, it can be precedent-setting if Brampton, home to one of the largest South Asian populations in Ontario, will consider prioritizing its diverse community,” she said.

Faruque called the incident “a learning experience about the nature of transnational hate” and growing Hindu nationalism in India, also known as “Hindutva.”

“Brampton leaders should remain open to listening to the perspectives of all their residents in such matters, whether they are domestic or international,” she said.

The city of Ayodhya has a population of roughly 3 million people, including some 500,000 Muslims.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to use Faruque’s preferred  pronouns.