The Indian consulate in San Francisco on Saturday strongly condemned the defacement of the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha with anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti in California’s Newark city, saying the incident has “hurt sentiments of the Indian community”. The embassy also called for a quick probe into the matter and prompt action against the accused.
“We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter,” the consulate wrote in a post on X.
We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in…
— India in SF (@CGISFO) December 23, 2023
In another attack on a Hindu temple in the US, the Swaminarayan Mandir in California’s Newark city was defaced with anti-India and pro-Khalistani slogans. The Hindu American Foundation took to X on Saturday, December 23, to share pictures, showing slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi scribbled on several walls of the temple. Alongside there were slogans exalting Khaliatsni terrorist Bhinderwala sprayed on the walls of the Hindu temple.
Condemning the vandalisation of the Hindu temple, the Hindu American Foundation said that the hateful messages may have been written to traumatise people visiting the temple and also create a “fear of violence”. The foundation insisted that the incident should be investigated as a hate crime and said the Newark Police Department and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division were informed about it.
#Breaking: Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans.@NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow.
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) December 22, 2023
We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime. pic.twitter.com/QHeEVWrkDj
It’s worth mentioning here that such acts of vandalism of Hindu temples by Khalistani extremists have become very common in the United States and its neighboring Canada. India has already voiced alarm over the increasing activities of Khalistani terrorists and has asked countries to cracked down on groups and people attempting to incite separatism in India.
