BAPS temple in US vandalised with hate message graffiti, second incident in 10 days – India TV

Washington: The BAPS Hindu temple in Sacramento was vandalized on Wednesday and daubed with slurs reading, “Hindus, go back!”, less than 10 days after a similar act of vandalism took place at the BAPS mandir in New York. The incident sparked concern in the local Hindu community and in response, the community had said it would stand together against hate.

“Less than 10 days after the desecration of @BAPS Mandir in New York, last night our Mandir in the Sacramento, California area was desecrated with anti-Hindu hate: 'Hindus, go back!' We stand united against hate and pray for peace,” the BAPS Public Relations Department said in a post on X.

This comes after the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, was vandalized on September 17. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha condemned the desecration of the temple and expressed its “deep sadness” over the incident, saying similar incidents have occurred in various Hindu temples across North America.

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BAPS describes the incident as a “hate crime”

“We continue to strongly condemn hate; our grief has only grown; and our prayers for everyone, including those who carry hate in their hearts, have grown stronger,” BAPS said in a statement. “BAPS is working with law enforcement on this hate crime.”

“The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento is home to a vibrant Hindu community that is involved in numerous activities and projects to support the larger community. We are and will remain an integral part of the fabric of this community,” it said. The temple community gathered for a prayer ceremony in response to the incident and called for peace and unity.

According to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, sheriff's officers rushed to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Mather, near Rancho Cordova, where the graffiti was discovered. Officials also said vandals had also cut water lines on the property.

Ami Bera, an American physician and politician who serves as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for California, responded to the vandalism by saying, “There is no place for religious fanaticism and hatred in #SacramentoCounty. I strongly condemn this blatant act of vandalism in our community. We must all stand against intolerance and ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of their faith, feels safe and respected.”

Hindu temple vandalized in New York

The Indian Consulate General in New York had condemned the desecration of the BAPS temple in the city earlier this month and said it had raised the matter with the US authorities so that immediate action could be taken against the perpetrators of this “heinous act”. Members of the BAPS community gathered at the site of the desecration to pray for peace and unity, supported by local, state and federal officials from Long Island. BAPS spiritual leader Mahant Swami Maharaj prayed for peace and harmony on the occasion.

U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, who was one of the leaders on the scene to pray for peace and unity, said he was “appalled” by the “heinous acts of vandalism” directed at the temple. “Such acts of vandalism, bigotry and hatred occur far too often due to inflammatory rhetoric from national leaders, extremism and lack of accountability. Acts like these are un-American and contrary to our nation's core values,” he added on X.

Earlier, a BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Edmonton, Canada, was defaced with anti-India graffiti threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian-born Canadian MP Chandra Arya. Notably, there have been a series of attacks on Hindu temples in Canada, previously attributed to pro-Khalistani groups, that have threatened to further strain frosty India-Canada relations.

(with agency input)