Australia: A Hindu temple, BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, in Australia’s Melbourne was allegedly attacked by Khalistan supporters and defaced with anti-India graffiti, The Australia Today said in a report. The walls of the prominent Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Mill Park were painted with “Hindustan Murdabad” which means down with India, the report said. Sikh separatists attack a Hindu temple in Melbourne.
Condemning the attack, BAPS Swaminarayan temple said, “We are deeply saddened and shocked by these acts of vandalism and hate. We offer our prayers for peace and harmony and will provide a fuller statement in due course.” The report also suggests that the Khalistan group also heaped praise on an Indian terrorist, Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, a widely perceived supporter of the creation of a proposed Sikh majority state of Khalistan. He was killed by the Army during Operation Bluestar.
“This vandalism is deeply distressing for Victoria’s peaceful Hindu community, especially at this holy time,” Evan Mulholland, Liberal MP for the Northern Metropolitan Region was quoted by The Australia Today as saying.Amit Sarwal, a journalist, told India Today, “The Hindu community in Melbourne has lodged a formal complaint with the police and MPs.
The cultural minister also belongs to the same place where the incident took place.This has been going on since last year. Kerala Hindu association has also condemned the incident.””There were messages against Prime Minister Narendra Modi painted on the walls of the temple. Several Indian and Sikh leaders are distressed by this whole incident.”
“When I reached the temple today morning, all walls were coloured with graffiti of Khalistani hatred towards Hindus,” a local told Australia Today.Hindu Council of Australia’s Victoria state President Makrand Bhagwat said, “Any kind of hatred and vandalism against places of worship is not acceptable and we condemn it.”
“And this kind of activity is in violation of the racial and religious tolerance act of Victoria. We demand Victoria Police and Premier Dan Andrews to take strong action against the perpetrators,” he added. Vishva Hindu Parishad of Australia also slammed the targetted attacks and strongly condemned the act.
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