'Separatists Outside India Should Not Get Space': Jaishankar Reacts to US Hindu Temple Vandalism

A Hindu temple has been defaced in the United States’ California with anti-India and pro-Khalistan graffiti on its exterior walls. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday expressed concern over the vandalism in Newark city.

“I have seen the news. As you know, we are concerned about this. Extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get space. Our consulate has lodged a complaint with the (US) government and the police there over whatever happened, and I believe the matter is being inquired,” Jaishankar said in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, in response to a query about the incident.

The police department in Newark, California said that approximately 8.35 am on Friday, they received a report of graffiti at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple. According to images posted on social media, the word ‘Khalistan’ was spray-painted on a signpost outside the temple along with other objectionable graffiti.

The Newark police said any acts or threats of violence, property damage, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes motivated by hate or bias are considered very serious and given very high priority.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco strongly condemned the defacing of the temple. “We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. This incident has hurt the sentiments of the Indian community. We have pressed for quick investigation and prompt action against the vandals by the US authorities in this matter,” the Consulate wrote on X.

Images shared by a Hindu group, ‘Hindu American Foundation’ on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed hateful slogans against India and the Prime Minister on the wall of the temple.

The foundation further claimed that the mention of the late Khalistan terrorist kingpin Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who targeted Hindus, is “specifically meant to traumatise” the devotees and create an environment of violence.

Notably, this is not the first time that the news of vandalism and defacing of Hindu temples in the United States has emerged.

Earlier in January 2019, a Hindu temple was vandalised in the US state of Kentucky by miscreants who sprayed black paint on the deity and wall.

The incident happened at the Swaminarayan Temple in Louisville. In April 2015, a Hindu temple in north Texas was defaced with nasty images. In February 2015, Hindu temples in Kent and the Seattle Metropolitan area were also vandalised.