A formal motion acknowledging anti-Hindu bigotry has been passed by one of Canada's biggest towns. The City Council of Mississauga, a component of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the seventh-largest municipality in the nation, overwhelmingly approved the proposal on Wednesday.
According to the motion, there have been reports of anti-Hindu hate crimes in the city and throughout Canada. These incidents include, but are not limited to, "vandalism of temples in Mississauga, targeted misinformation and online harassment about local Hindu events and harassment of Hindu students in local schools," "creating anxiety and fear among Hindu residents."

The city has "consistently taken a stand against racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate and discrimination," according to the motion, and "it is equally important to recognise and denounce anti-Hindu hate."
The city "formally condemns anti-Hindu hate in all its forms, including verbal, physical, digital, or institutional acts of discrimination directed at Hindu individuals, organisations, or places of worship," according to the resolution.
Councillor Dipika Damerla made the motion, and her colleague Joe Horneck seconded it. Damerla informed the council that the city has already acknowledged Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. "This is about using the same fairness principle, not about creating a new precedent.

Too frequently, systemic anti-Hindu hatred goes unidentified and unchecked. Change starts when we humiliate something by giving it a name.
"One of Canada's largest Hindu communities resides in Mississauga, and it is our responsibility as a city to ensure that every resident feels safe and respected," Mayor Carolyn Parrish stated.
The Canadian branch of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) was one of those submitting information in this respect. "This is a powerful message from one of Canada's largest cities — that Hinduphobia has no place in our country," stated the organization's president, Rishabh Sarswat.

"The Mississauga City Council has provided its citizens with a public assurance through their action, and we greatly appreciate their leadership in reaffirming our community's right to safety, dignity, and equal protection," he continued. The Alberta municipality of Wainwright, which last month became the first Canadian government at any level to legally declare Hinduphobia, has previously collaborated with CoHNA Canada.

Canadian Hindus For Harmony also submitted. Such acknowledgement of anti-Hindu hatred, according to its director Vijay Jain, is "the first step towards addressing" the problem. He said, "We hope the city will now invest resources in educating communities to address systemic anti-Hindu hate and shame those who engage in anti-Hindu activities."

The development was hailed as a "victory for the whole community" by the advocacy organisation Canadian Organisation For Hindu Heritage Education (COHHE). Local law enforcement was urged to "take acts of hate against Hindus more seriously and begin to collect better data on such hate incidents."
"This marks a significant step forward in acknowledging the lived experiences of Hindu Canadians and affirming our right to safety, dignity, and cultural respect," the Hindu Canadian Foundation said in a statement.