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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Reprehensible act': Indian temple in US vandalised; consulate seeks probe
A Hindu temple in the United States has been vandalised, prompting condemnation from the Indian Consulate in Chicago. In a post on X, the consulate described the desecration of the main signboard of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood, Indiana, as 'reprehensible' and confirmed it had raised the matter with law enforcement for prompt action. The Consul General met devotees, local leaders and the Mayor of Greenwood, urging unity, solidarity and vigilance against 'miscreants'. The incident comes less than 6 months after a similar act of vandalism at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, California. At the time, ministry of external affairs condemned the act 'in the strongest terms' and urged local authorities to act swiftly and ensure security at places of worship. BAPS Public Affairs said the Hindu community would 'stand steadfast against hate' and 'never let hate take root'. The Coalition of Hindus of North America also linked such incidents to rising hostility towards Hindus, noting the timing ahead of a planned 'Khalistan referendum' in Los Angeles. Previous attacks on BAPS temples were reported in Sacramento and New York last year, fuelling concerns over repeated targeting of Hindu places of worship across the US.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Yahoo
Authorities investigating after Southern California temple vandalized with ‘political messages'
Law enforcement officials have launched an investigation after a Hindu temple in San Bernardino County was vandalized with 'political messages.' According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir temple in Chino Hills around 9:15 a.m. Saturday on a vandalism call. Upon arriving at the temple and speaking with an administrator, the deputies learned that an unknown suspect or suspects had spray painted graffiti containing 'political messages' on the temple's marble sign, a nearby brick wall and a sidewalk belonging to the city of Chino Hills. The exact nature of the 'political messages' was not disclosed by law enforcement; temple officials did not reveal what was spray painted but released a statement condemning the incident. 'In the face of another Mandir desecration, this time in Chino Hills, CA, the Hindu community stand steadfast against hate,' BAPS Public Affairs said 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.' Video shows upset customer crash into Inglewood CarMax, 8 injured No video surveillance of the incident was available, and no suspects have been identified; anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Chino Hills Police Department by calling 909-364-2000. Anonymous information can be submitted to We-Tip by calling 1-900-782-7463 or visiting Chino Hills Code Enforcement has been notified and is helping with the ongoing investigation, deputies confirmed. The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a denomination of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Vaishnav sect of Hinduism, according to the The Indian Express. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times of Oman
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
US: BAPS Hindu Temple vandalized in California, days ahead of "Khalistan referendum" in LA
California: A BAPS Hindu Temple located in Chino Hills, California was vandalised with discretionary messages, days ahead of a so-called 'Khalistani referendum' in Los Angeles. The official page of BAPS for the United States, shared the details of the incident on social media platform X. It also stressed that they will "never let hate take root" and peace and compassion shall prevail. In a post on X, BAPS Public Affairs wrote, "In the face of another Mandir desecration, this time in Chino Hills, CA, the Hindu community stand steadfast against hate. 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 Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), also shared details of the incident on X, and said the desecration of the iconic BAPS Temple in California comes ahead of the "so called Khalistan referendum" in Los Angeles. "Another Hindu Temple vandalized - this time the iconic BAPS temple in Chino Hills, CA. It's 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. Not surprising this happens as the day for a so called "Khalistan referendum" in LA draws close." The post listed down other recent cases of vandalism of temples from 2022 onwards and gave a call for investigation into the matter. CoHNA is a grassroots-level advocacy organization dedicated to improving the understanding of Hinduism in North America and matters impacting the Hindu community. Cases of temple vandalism took place last year too as the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was vandalised on the night of September 25. This incident occured less than 10 days after a similar incident at the BAPS Mandir in New York.
