India’s strong reaction after Hindu temple in US defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti.

Kanchan Mookherjee | HENB | California | Dec 23, 2023:: Another news of hate-mongering has surfaced in the United States targeting the Hindu and Indian diaspora living in that part of the globe. A Hindu temple was vandalised with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti in Newark, California. The exterior walls of the SMVS Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, was defaced with ‘anti-Hindu and anti-India’ graffiti, the temple administration said.

According to the images circulating on social media, the term ‘Khalistan’ was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple, along with other objectionable graffiti.

While the police said that the incident came to light on Friday, temple authorities claim that the incident occured on Thursday night.

The Coalition of Hindus of North America has vehemently condemned the incident.

“One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed,” Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration, told ANI.

The temple authorities were ‘shocked’ by the incident, the spokesperson added. Calling it a ‘targeted incident’, Jonathan Arguello, a police
captain for the city of Newark said that the incident was being investigated.

“Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it’s going to be investigated with full thoroughness,” Arguello told Reuters.

“We’re handling this investigation as a hate crime at this point, based on our conversations with you and the physical evidence we’ve seen,” he added.

Condemning the incident, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said on Saturday, “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 further added in a post on X.

The incident comes after the US justice department filed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged role in a failed conspiracy to assassinate India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil.

The Hindu American Foundation also  shared pictures of anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti on the exterior walls of the Hindu temple on social media.

The Biden administartion must take the Hindu reactions as a serious matter of resentment.

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__Inputs from TOI.