23rd Dec 2023, New Delhi: The Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California, faced defacement with pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans. The Hindu-American Foundation shared images of the incident, revealing hateful messages against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the temple walls.
The organisation expressed concern that these messages were intended to traumatize temple visitors and instill a “fear of violence.” A case has been filed with the Newark Police Department and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
India condemned the incident, emphasiSing the impact on the sentiments of the Indian community. The Indian Embassy stated on Twitter that they have urged a prompt investigation and action against the vandals by US authorities.
This unfortunate event is not an isolated incident, as similar attacks on Hindu temples have occurred in both the US and Canada. India has previously raised concerns about escalating activities by Khalistan supporters and has taken measures against individuals and organizations promoting separatist sentiments abroad.
In a related incident in August, a temple in Canada’s Surrey was vandalized, allegedly by Khalistani supporters. Pro-Khalistan posters were displayed at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, calling for Canada to investigate India’s alleged involvement in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
While Canada accused India of a role in Nijjar’s killing, no evidence has been provided to support the allegations. In a separate incident, the US arrested an Indian for an alleged plot to murder Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
India has consistently refuted these allegations as false and baseless, emphasizing a commitment to the rule of law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a recent interview that if provided with evidence, India is willing to investigate any wrongdoing by its citizens.
The defacement of the Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha underscores the need for continued vigilance against such acts of vandalism and the importance of collaborative efforts to address and prevent these incidents.
