NEW DELHI: Another Hindu temple, the SMVS Swaminarayan Mandir in Newark, California, was vandalised with anti-India and pro-Khalistani graffiti visible on the walls of the temple. The Indian consulate in San Francisco has condemned the incident and registered a complaint with the police.
“We are concerned about the incident that took place in California. Extremism and separatism should not be tolerated in any country nor should any space be provided to them. Our consulate in San Francisco has complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is underway,’’ said Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Saturday. The graffiti eulogised slain Khalistani terrorist Bhindranwale and had anti-India slogans too.
“We strongly condemn the defacing of the walls of SMVS Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark with anti-India graffiti. The 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,’’ said the Consulate General of India in San Francisco.
The instances of pro-Khalistani slogans, attacks on Indian consulates, and threats to diplomats in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia have been noticed in the past year. India has always brought them up with the local authorities.
This can be the fallout of the ongoing US indictment, where an Indian has been named as a conspirator in a foiled assassination attempt of a Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
India’s Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu was heckled by pro-Khalistani supporters in a Gurdwara in Long Island. There was anti-India and pro-Khalistani sloganeering that followed but the crowd managed to control the situation.
In July this year, attempts were made to torch the Indian consulate in San Francisco by pro-Khalistani supporters.
“It is baffling to know that there are so many perpetrators of hate crimes in the US and other countries and none of them has been brought to book. Such instances have taken place in Canada, where temples have been vandalised, and also in Australia,’’ said a source.
Meanwhile, the US State Department for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) condemned the vandalism. “We condemn the vandalism of the temple and welcome efforts by Newark Police Department to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,’’ US State Department SCA said.
Pannun, who was allegedly targeted in a murder-for-hire conspiracy for which an Indian has been jailed in the Czech Republic, has been threatening India repeatedly this year. He threatened the security of Air India and urged Sikh passengers not to take their flights from Canada, threatened the airports in India and more recently, spoke about attacking Parliament. However, none of his statements – which are sometimes released through videos – are taken against him.