A peaceful celebration of the Rath Yatra in Toronto took a disturbing turn after eggs were allegedly hurled at devotees participating in a religious procession, triggering sharp condemnation from former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a flurry of reactions on social media.
The incident came to light after Instagram user Sangna Bajaj posted a video showing devotees singing and chanting devotional songs in praise of Lord Jagannath on a Toronto street. According to her, the group was targeted by someone throwing eggs from a nearby building.
“Someone from a nearby building threw eggs at us.. Why? Because faith makes noise? Because joy looked unfamiliar? We didn’t stop. Because when Lord Jagannath is on the streets, no hate can shake us,” Bajaj wrote in the caption accompanying the video.
In her Instagram post, Bajaj also spoke of her personal reaction: “I was stunned and hurt by the egg-throwing incident but affirmed that hate will never overpower hate.”
While many online users condemned the act as hate-fueled and discriminatory, others pushed back, accusing the devotees of public disturbance.
“If you are going to create unnecessary noise pollution and inconvenience on the streets for some weird faith of yours then you deserve being treated the way you were,” read one comment, which drew widespread criticism for its insensitivity.
As of now, Canadian authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident. Calls are growing for a thorough investigation and for steps to ensure the safety of religious communities during public festivals.
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