Hindu temple burnt down in Toronto.

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Hindus, Jains bewildered at attacks on community in US, Canada

Rediff.com.

Ajit Jain in Toronto

Nobody can explain why people should attack Hindus or Jains or their

holy

places. But it is happening in Canada and the United States.

An Arya Samaj temple in Hamilton, west of Toronto, was gutted by a fire

on

Friday. The local police are investigating if the fire was a possible

retaliation to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

"We are not convinced it was naturally caused, yet we are not prepared

to

say it was arson either," said Hamilton-Wentworth police Staff Sergeant

Jack

Loft.

Hindu leaders in Hamilton are at a loss to explain why anyone might

want to

lash out at the community.

The Ontario fire marshal's office too has not ruled out arson. No

casualties

were reported in the incident.

Shanti Shah, Toronto-based president of the International Mahavir Jain

Mission, said a truck hit the entrance of the Mission's 108 acre Jain

temple

in Blairstown, New Jersey, USA, and knocked down the big sign.

He was baffled why anyone would target the temple. "We need to educate

people about our faith," he told rediff.com "It is not the time to show

any

kind of anger."

An hour before Friday's fire, Hindus had gathered at the Hamilton

temple for

a special service to pray for the victims of Tuesday's attacks.

"This is a Hindu temple. We are a peaceful community. It is sad to see

this

happen," temple member Mahendra Joshi said.

"I have no idea how it happened. I won't speculate on the causes,"

temple

president Narendar Pasi added.

Only the hand carved entrance to the temple remains; the rest of the

building was destroyed in the fire.