India raises vandalism of Swaminarayan Temple in New York with US

The Indian Consulate in New York has condemned the vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple, saying it has raised the matter with the US law enforcement authorities for prompt action against perpetrators of the "heinous act".

"The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable," the Indian Consulate said on Monday, 16 September, in a post on X.

It added that the Consulate "is in touch with the community and has raised the matter with the US law enforcement authorities for prompt action against the perpetrators of this heinous act".

Melville is located in Suffolk County on Long Island and is about 28 km from the 16000-seater Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a mega community event on 22 September.

According to footage shared online, expletives have been sprayed on the road and the signage outside the temple. The temple is expected to hold a prayer meeting later on Monday noon following the incident.

The Hindu American Foundation said on Monday in a post on X that the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security "must investigate" the attack on the temple "after recent threats to Hindu institutions as a large Indian community gathering is planned in nearby Nassau County this weekend".

"It is hard to comprehend the absolute cowardice of those who would attack a Hindu temple to air hatred for an elected leader. This attack, following recent threats at Hindu and Indian institutions, must be seen in the context of that threat scenario," executive director of the Hindu American Foundation Suhag Shukla said in a post on X.

It also mentioned that Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had recently shared a video threatening Hindu and Indian institutions.

It said that the vandalism incident in New York is similar to attacks on temples that happened in California and Canada.

"Gurpatwant Pannun, of "Sikhs for Justice," recently posted a video threatening Hindu and Indian institutions, including HAF, as the community event approaches. The vandalism is similar to that seen in attacks on temples in New York, California and Canada & called out by @CongressmanRaja @RoKhanna @ShriThanedar @PramilaJayapal @BeraForCongress @shuvmajumdar and other political leaders," Hindu American Foundation posted on X.

Earlier in July, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir was vandalised in Canada's Edmonton.

Canadian MP Chandra Arya voiced deep concern over the escalating incidents of hate-fuelled violence directed at Hindu-Canadian communities.

In a post on X, Chandra Arya said, "The Hindu temple BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton is vandalised again. During the last few years, Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area, British Columbia, and other places in Canada are being vandalised with hateful graffiti."