A Hindu temple in Hayward, California, has been defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti. This incident at Sherawali Temple comes a few weeks after the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California was defaced by anti-India graffiti.
The Hindu American Foundation reported about the latest incident. It has also shared a picture of the defacement.
In a post shared on X, the Hindu American Foundation stated, “#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. HAF is in touch with temple leaders and in contact with @AlamedaPD & @CivilRights.”
The Hindu American Foundation also highlighted the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm systems, considering the rising threat from Khalistan supporters.
In another post, the foundation stated, “We are once again encouraging all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide https://hinduamerican.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/HAF-Temple-Safety-Secuirty-Guide.pdf… The guide specifically discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime and also the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm systems in view of the rising threat from #Khalistan proponents as well as the omnipresent risk from anti-Hindu actors.”
Earlier in December, suspected pro-Khalistan activists had allegedly defaced the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California, police said. The exterior wall of the Hindu temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti. The Newark Police Service had started an investigation into the vandalism.
“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 spokesperson added the temple authorities were ‘shocked’ to find the anti-Indian graffiti on its wall. Shedding more light into the incident, Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark, said the ‘targeted act’ was being investigated.
The US State Department had condemned the vandalism of the Shri Swaminarayan Temple in California. It welcomed the Newark Police Department’s efforts to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
In a post shared on X by the official handle of the US State Department for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs stated, “We condemn the vandalism of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in California. We welcome efforts by the Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, too, expressed concern over the vandalism of a Hindu temple with anti-India graffiti in the US and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.
“I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired,” Jaishankar said in response to a query about the incident.
(With inputs from ANI)