Another Hindu temple ‘attacked’ with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California

A Hindu temple in the US state of California was allegedly defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said on Friday.

The incident took place weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir in California was vandalised with anti-India graffiti. “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,” the HAF wrote on social media X.

The foundation added that it was in touch with temple leaders and contact with the Alameda Police Department and Civil Rights Division.

Last month, the US state department had condemned the vandalism of the Shri Swaminarayan temple in California. It welcomed the Newark Police Department’s efforts to hold the culprits accountable.

“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,” the official handle of the US state department for the bureau of south and central Asian affairs wrote on X.

The statement came after suspected pro-Khalistan activists allegedly defaced the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California. The incident, which surfaced on December 23, involved the vandalism of the Hindu temple’s exterior wall with anti-India graffiti.

“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,” said Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration.

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.

Meanwhile, Newark police termed the incident a ‘targeted act’ and assured a thorough investigation.