Despicable act: India calls California hindu temple attack ‘shameful’, demands action

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in California's Chino Hill was vandalized with anti-India graffiti, barely five months after a similar act was witnessed at another Hindu temple in the US state. The External Affairs Ministry on Sunday reacted strongly to the "despicable act" and condemned it in the strongest possible terms.

Coalition of Hindus in North America

In a statement, the Ministry also urged local law and order authorities to take strong action against the perpetrators of these crimes, and also provide proper security to places of worship. According to reports in the media, phrases such as "Hindus go back" were painted on the temple walls. Deploring the incident, the Coalition of Hindus in North America (CoHNA) stated that it was just another day in a world where media and academics will insist there is no anti-Hindu hate and that Hinduphobia is just a construct of our imagination".While requesting an investigation, the advocacy organization committed to enhancing the knowledge of Hinduism in the area provided a list of 10 temples throughout the US that have been vandalized or broken into from 2022 until now.

BAPS Hindu temple in California's

At the same time, Hindu American Foundation posted photos of the vandalism on X and appealed to FBI head Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the Chino Hills Police Department to investigate this latest in a string of anti-Hindu hate crimes on our sacred spaces.On September 25, 2024, the BAPS Hindu temple in California's state capital Sacramento was vandalized with expletive-filled graffiti, reading "Hindus go back". Almost 10 days prior to the Sacramento attack, another BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, was vandalized with derogatory messages.

California Civil Rights Department

The Consulate General of India in New York condemned the act vehemently and brought the issue to the notice of US authorities.Anti-Hindu hate crimes in California are now the second-most reported religious bias, a report by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) published last May stated. Based on the report, out of religiously motivated incidents, anti-Hindu bias came in second at 23.3 per cent. Anti-Jewish bias or anti-semitism topped at about 37 per cent. Anti-Muslim hate crimes come in third at 14.6 per cent of religious bias incidents.