Another Hindu temple vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California

PTI, Jan 5, 2024, 2:31 PM IST

San Francisco: A Hindu temple in California has been defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti, two weeks after a prominent temple was vandalised in the same US state.

Unknown persons vandalised Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward in the Bay Area, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said on Friday.

It comes a few weeks after the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark 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 posted on X on Friday.

The foundation has said that they have contacted the Alameda Police Department and Civil Rights Division.

“HAF is in touch with temple leaders and contact with @AlamedaPD & @CivilRights,” the post read.

The foundation also asked temple leaders to download temple safety guide that discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime.

‘We are once again encouraging all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide…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,’ the post said.

On December 23, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple was vandalised and the US State Department condemned the vandalism of the Shri Swaminarayan temple in California. It welcomed the Newark Police Department’s efforts to hold the culprits accountable.