California Hindu Temple Vandalised With Pro-Khalistan Graffiti

International

oi-Saumya Joshi

In
the
US
state
of
California,
pro-Khalistani
graffiti
has
been
found
defacing
a
Hindu
temple.
This
incident
follows
the
vandalism
of
the
Swaminarayan
Mandir
in
California
weeks
ago,
which
was
targeted
with
anti-India
graffiti,
according
to
India
Today.
The
Hindu
American
Foundation
(HAF)
reported
the
vandalisation
of
California’s
Sherawali
Temple
in
a
social
media
post
on
Friday,
accompanied
by
a
photo
of
the
defacement.

In
its
X
post,
formerly
known
as
Twitter,
the
organization
mentioned
that
it
was
in
contact
with
the
police
regarding
the
incident.
The
Hindu
American
Foundation
(HAF),
also
suggested
that
Hindu
temples
install
security
cameras
and
alarm
systems
due
to
the
“rising
threat
from
Khalistan
proponents
as
well
as
the
omnipresent
risk
from
anti-Hindu
actors.”

#Breaking:
Another
Bay
Area
Hindu
temple
attacked
with
pro-#Khalistan
graffiti.

The
Vijay’s
Sherawali
Temple
in
Hayward,
CA
sustained
a
copycat
defacement
just
two
weeks
after
the
Swaminarayan
Mandir
attack
and
one
week
after
a
theft
at
the
Shiv
Durga
temple
in
the
same
area.…

pic.twitter.com/wPFMNcPKJJ

—
Hindu
American
Foundation
(@HinduAmerican)

January
5,
2024

Khalistan
supporters
vandalise
Hindu
temple
in
Australia’s
Sydney

On
December
23
last
year,
pro-Khalistani
slogans
were
discovered
defacing
another
Hindu
temple
in
Newark
city,
California.
The
Hindu
American
Foundation
shared
pictures
on
X,
which
revealed
slogans
scribbled
on
the
walls
of
the
Swaminarayan
Mandir
Vasana
Sanstha.
Hateful
slogans
against
India
and
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
were
depicted
on
the
temple
wall
in
the
images.
At
the
time,
External
Affairs
Minister
S
Jaishankar
took
note
of
the
incident
and
emphasized
that
extremists
and
separatists
should
not
be
given
space.
“I
have
seen
it.
Extremists,
separatists,
and
such
forces
should
not
be
given
space.
Our
Consulate
there
complained
to
the
government
and
the
police,
and
an
inquiry
is
underway,”
said
Jaishankar
while
speaking
to
the
reporters
on
the
Khalistan
issue.

Story first published: Friday, January 5, 2024, 10:00 [IST]