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India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Khalistanis vandalise Hindu temple in US yet again, India seeks strict action
In the fourth such incident targeting Hindu places of worship in the US this year, a Hindu temple of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) in Greenwood, Indiana, has been desecrated, allegedly by pro-Khalistanis, according to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). The organisation said the temple's walls were defaced with anti-India and anti-Prime Minister Narendra Modi an advocacy group, linked the desecration to pro-Khalistan extremists. Meanwhile, another group, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), urged authorities to classify the incident as the fourth such hate Public Affairs, in a social media post, said the latest incident has only strengthened the community's resolve to stand united against anti-religious behaviour. "For the 4th time in less than a year, one of our Mandirs has been desecrated by a hateful act. The anti-Hindu hate crime against the BAPS Mandir in Greenwood, IN has only strengthened our community's resolve, and we remain united in our stand against anti-religious behavior," BAPS said in the post on X on Hindu American Foundation denounced the incident, attributing it to pro-Khalistan extremists known for employing similar methods Consulate General of India in Chicago said it was in touch with the local community and law enforcement agencies."Desecration of the main signboard of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood, Indiana is reprehensible. The Consulate is in touch with the community and has raised the matter with law enforcement authorities for prompt action. Today Consul General addressed a gathering of devotees," wrote the Consulate General of India in Chicago, US on DESECRATED WITH SLURS AGAINST AMERICAN HINDUS"For the 4th time in less than a year, a Hindu Mandir (temple) has been desecrated—this time the BAPS Mandir in Greenwood, IN. Vandalising temples with anti-India graffiti is a tactic often used by pro-Khalistan separatist activists—and a stark reminder of how slurring American Hindus as 'Hindutva' fuels hate like this," the Hindu American Foundation said in a group also urged officials to act beyond condemnations to hold the attackers accountable."It's time elected officials move beyond empty condemnations and ensure perpetrators are held accountable," it group posted a video with the post, revealing temple walls defaced with graffiti expressing anti-India temple's walls were desecrated on August 10, according to BAPS. A MESSAGE OF HATE AND INTOLERANCE AGAINST HINDUSMarmik Brahmbhatt, a volunteer with BAPS, described the graffiti as "a message of hate and intolerance against Hindus," according to the Indy Star news offending message was removed after it was reported to the Greenwood Police Department, Indy Star, which is part of the USA Today Network, characterised the offence as a hate crime, according to the urged the authorities to treat this as a hate crime and to study this crime against the background of a growing national event is the latest in a string of attacks targeting Hindu temples across the U.S., prompting strong criticism from Indian officials and community on March 8, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills was defaced with anti-India graffiti, less than five months after a similar act of vandalism at another Hindu temple in to the incident, the External Affairs Ministry in March condemned the "despicable act in the strongest terms."In an official statement, the Ministry also called upon "local law enforcement authorities to take stringent action against those responsible for these acts, and also ensure adequate security to places of worship."A report filed with the Greenwood Police Department confirms that an active investigation is underway into "criminal mischief" at the mandir located on South Madison Street, according to the Indy September 25, 2024, the BAPS Hindu temple in Sacramento, California's capital, was vandalised with offensive graffiti, including messages like "Hindus go back."Just days earlier, a BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, was similarly defaced with hateful Consulate General of India in New York strongly condemned the incident and raised the matter with US authorities- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Hindu temple in US vandalised for the fourth time in less than a year, India demands strict action
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills The Consulate General of India in Chicago has strongly condemned the vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood, Indiana , where anti-India graffiti was found on the temple walls. The incident, reported on the night of August 10, marks the fourth attack on a Hindu temple in the United States in less than a year, allegedly by pro-Khalistan Hindu American Foundation shared images of the defaced walls on social media, showing slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi . The graffiti also called on elected officials to 'move beyond empty condemnations.' The group described the act as a hate crime and urged authorities to hold the perpetrators Consulate General of India in Chicago said it was in contact with the local community and law enforcement agencies. 'Desecration of main signboard of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood, Indiana is reprehensible,' the consulate said in a statement, adding that Consul General met devotees, local leaders, and the Mayor of Greenwood to call for unity, solidarity, and previous similar incidents were reported in California and other US states, raising concerns among the Indian diaspora about the safety of religious places.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
BAPS Temple Vandalised By Pro-Khalistan Elements In US, Graffiti Shows Anti-India Slogans
Last Updated: The Hindu American Foundation urged the elected officials to "move beyond empty condemnations" and take strict action against those responsible for the desecration. A BAPS temple was desecrated, allegedly by pro-Khalistan separatists, in Greenwood, Indiana, a city in Johnson County in the United States, a Hindu Americans group alleged on Tuesday. The walls of the Hindu temple were vandalised with anti-India and anti-Modi graffiti, the Hindu American Foundation said in a post on X, while urging the 'elected officials" to 'move beyond empty condemnations". They demanded stern action against the perpetrators of the crime, which they said took place for the fourth time in less than a year. 'For the 4th time in less than a year, a Hindu Mandir (temple) has been desecrated—this time the @BAPS Mandir in Greenwood, IN. Vandalizing temples with anti-India graffiti is a tactic often used by pro-Khalistan separatist activists—and a stark reminder of how slurring American Hindus as 'Hindutva" fuels hate like this. It's time elected officials move beyond empty condemnations and ensure perpetrators are held accountable," the Foundation captioned a post on X, in which they also shared the video of the vandalism. More to follow… view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Scroll.in
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Why US court rejected Hindu group's claims that caste discrimination cases violate religious freedom
The decision of a US federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging California state's authority to prosecute caste discrimination cases has been welcomed by civil rights groups. US District Judge Dale Drozd of the Eastern District of California on July 18 rejected arguments from a Hindu advocacy group that enforcing such cases violates religious freedom. He said that the Hindu American Foundation, a non-profit that says it advocates for Hindus in the United States, lacked standing to challenge the California Civil Rights Department's high-profile lawsuit against the technology conglomerate Cisco Systems, which alleges workplace caste discrimination against a Dalit engineer. 'This is a historic win,' said Karthikeyan Shanmugam of the Ambedkar King Study Circle, which has collected numerous testimonies showing how caste consciousness and discrimination are manifested in the Indian diaspora. 'It affirms that caste discrimination is a civil rights violation and cannot be shielded by claims of religious freedom,' Shanmugam said. Roja Singh, President of Dalit Solidarity Forum, said that 'the decades-long campaign of caste-based oppression in the US is finally being confronted'. Singh added: 'This ruling by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California affirms that caste discrimination violates civil rights and cannot be ignored. It marks a critical step toward ensuring that caste-oppressed communities can live and work with safety, dignity, and equality.' Paradoxical position The judge rejected the HAF's claim that the state's anti-caste enforcement violated their religious freedom, noting that the foundation simultaneously argued that caste discrimination is not an integral part of Hindu beliefs. 'Plaintiffs cannot persuasively maintain that there 'exists some conflict between one of [their] religious convictions and a challenged governmental action' precisely because they contend that caste discrimination is not one of their religious convictions,' the ruling noted. The judge described it a 'standing conundrum,' asking, 'How can appellants be injured by a policy prohibiting conduct that they have no intention to engage in?' The court also questioned the HAF's claim to represent Hindu Americans across the country. While the foundation pointed to 815 donors and 5,000 subscribers to its advocacy platform as evidence of its support base, the judge stated the organisation was trying to represent 'a community significantly larger and more diffuse than those found appropriate' for bringing such a lawsuit. The HAF's legal challenge centres on California's 2020 lawsuit against Cisco Systems, when it allegedly failed to protect a Dalit employee from harassment by his Brahmin colleagues. The lawsuit claimed the engineer 'was expected to accept a caste hierarchy within the workplace where he held the lowest status within a team of higher-caste colleagues, receiving less pay, fewer opportunities, and other inferior terms and conditions of employment'. When the engineer opposed the treatment, supervisors allegedly retaliated by reducing his role, isolating him from colleagues and assigning him tasks that were 'impossible to complete under the circumstances'. The state dropped its case against the two individual Cisco supervisors, Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella, in 2023, but continues to pursue its lawsuit against the company. Anti-caste measures The development also comes amid a growing battle over caste discrimination in American institutions, with Hindu advocacy groups mounting organised opposition to the introduction of anti-caste measures. Since the Cisco lawsuit was filed in 2020, anti-caste groups have pushed to add caste as a protected category in anti-discrimination policies across the United States. Seattle became the first city to ban caste discrimination in February 2023, while dozens of universities including Harvard and Brown have updated their policies to explicitly prohibit caste-based discrimination. However, the HAF scored a major victory in 2023 when California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation that would have made California the first state to ban caste discrimination. The bill had passed both houses of the state legislature with overwhelming support – the Assembly voted 31-5 to approve the measure sponsored by Democratic state senator Aisha Wahab. But Newsom rejected the bill, arguing that existing anti-discrimination laws already covered caste-based discrimination. The HAF has repeatedly stated that policies against caste discrimination are unfair to Hindu Americans. On its website, the foundation states. 'California's actions blatantly violate the rights of Hindu Americans.' The organisation contended that California 'has asserted that the caste system is 'a strict Hindu social and religious hierarchy,' and therefore an integral part of Hindu teachings and practices' = a characterisation it says is false. The HAF argues this makes 'all Hindus suspect in the eyes of the general public' and 'encourages widespread discrimination against hiring or promoting of Hindus'.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'We receive no money from Indian government': Hindu American Foundation slams allegations, says 'pro-Khalistan' gurdwara filed false complaint
HAF said it receives no money, instructions, or legal directions from the Indian government. (Photo: Indian embassy in US) The Hindu American Foundation slammed reports of a plea for an investigation into its connection with the Indian government and said it has been singled out by a 'pro-Khalistan' gurdwara, while HAF receives no money, instructions or legal direction from the Indian government. The statement came in response to the Fremont Gurdwara Sahib approaching the Department of Justice to launch a national security investigation to determine whether the non-profit should be required to file as an Indian foreign agent. 'The HAF has facilitated meetings between foreign principals and US lawmakers, platformed foreign principals at their own events, and consistently and unequivocally advocated for the interests of the BJP on both domestic and foreign policy matters,' a representative for the Gurdwara wrote in a letter to Pam Bondi, the US attorney general -- as repoprted by the Guardian. "If DOJ applied the same logic used in the complaint, many respected diaspora orgs would be forced to register as foreign agents just for hosting cultural events. That's not law enforcement—it's selective enforcement," HAF said. "HAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, DC, run by US citizens, funded by US donors, and accountable to US law. We have platinum transparency rating as a nonprofit," it said, adding that participating in diaspora events including those involving foreign leader,s is legal and common; several other organizations also did that. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "HAF advocates for civil rights, accurate education, and religious freedom for Hindu Americans. We have stood against violence—whether by Khalistan separatists, Islamists, or Hindu extremists. Our policy positions are public, legal, and rooted in our mission—not directed by any foreign state. We support FARA enforcement when warranted. But smearing US nonprofits based on diaspora engagement is a misuse of the law. " HAF said that the allegations against it that it acts as an unregistered foreign agent is legally unfounded, factually incorrect and dangerous for civil society. "The allegation against HAF was filed by Lex Politica, a right-wing law firm retained by a pro-Khalistan gurudwara in California. Khalistan is a secessionist movement calling for a theocratic Sikh state carved out of India, linked to the worst Canadian terrorist attack in history. Khalistan is opposed by the vast majority of Sikhs globally," it said.
