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A prominent Hindu temple in California was vandalised on Saturday, sparking condemnation from the India government, which called it a “despicable” act, urging US authorities to take action against those responsible.
The attack on the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, a city in Southern California, came days before a planned “Khalistani referendum” in Los Angeles in March – a non-binding vote for an independent Sikh homeland in India’s northern Punjab region.
According to several media reports, the temple was defaced with “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Modi” graffiti.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said New Delhi was deeply concerned about the incident and called for better security at places of worship.
“We condemn such despicable acts in the strongest terms,” he said. “We call upon the local law enforcement authorities to take stringent action against those responsible for these acts, and also ensure adequate security [for] places of worship.”
BAPS, the organisation that manages the temple, said it would not allow hate to divide communities.
“In the face of another Mandir desecration, this time in Chino Hills, CA, the Hindu community stands steadfast against hate,” BAPS Public Affairs wrote on X.
“Together with the community in Chino Hills and Southern California, we will never let hate take root. Our common humanity and faith will ensure that peace and compassion prevail.”
The latest attack has drawn condemnation from Hindu groups in the US, amid rising concerns over similar incidents in recent months.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a US-based advocacy group, also condemned the attack, linking it to a string of recent temple vandalism cases and calling for an investigation.
“Another Hindu temple vandalised – this time the iconic BAPS temple in Chino Hills, CA,” the group posted on X. “Not surprising this happens as the day for a so-called Khalistan referendum in LA draws close.”
The Khalistani movement wants an independent Sikh state carved out of India, and dates back to India and Pakistan’s independence in 1947. The idea was pushed forward in negotiations preceding the partition of the Punjab region between the two new countries.
The Sikh religion was founded in Punjab in the late 15th century and currently has about 25 million followers worldwide. Sikhs form a majority of Punjab’s population but are a minority in India, comprising 2 per cent of its population of 1.4 billion. Sikh separatists demand that their homeland Khalistan, meaning “the land of the pure”, be created out of Punjab.
The demand has resurfaced many times, most prominently during a violent insurgency in the 1970s and 1980s which paralysed Punjab for over a decade.
Several Hindu temples in North America have been vandalised with graffiti and slogans related to the Khalistan movement.
In September last year, a sign board and driveway of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple in Melville, Suffolk County, was defaced with spray paint.
Vandals wrote “anti-Hindu” messages that also targeted Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, the police said.
The BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Toronto’s Etobicoke in 2022 was defaced with Khalistan graffiti. Officials at the BAPS temple in Toronto at that time confirmed the graffiti and said “anti-social elements” were behind it as they issued an appeal for peace.
