US temple vandalised; separatists should not get space: Jaishankar

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday expressed concern over a prominent Hindu temple being vandalised with anti-India graffiti in the US state of California, and said extremists and separatist forces outside India should not get such space.

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 City of Newark Police Department told PTI in an emailed statement that on Friday, at approximately 8:35 am, they received a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. “Based on the content of the graffiti, it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act, and the vandalism is being investigated as a possible hate crime,” the statement said.

Responding to a query about the incident, Jaishankar said: “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.” He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the convocation of the Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar.

“We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti,” the Consulate General of India in San Francisco tweeted. “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,” it said.

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 high priority. “Officers are investigating, collecting evidence, and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses in order to establish the chain of events and bring those responsible to justice,” the police said.

This is not the first instance that a temple has been defaced with such graffiti in the recent past. India has been asking countries like Canada, UK and the US to not give space to “extremist Khalistani ideology”.

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