Southern California’s Hindu temples were destroyed over the weekend, causing law enforcement investigations.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation to find the perpetrator behind the temple’s tagging in a “political message,” authorities said in a news release.
According to the temple’s website, Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple in Chino Hills opens the door to visitors every day at 9am. On Saturday, Temple Fan met tags with the words “F- Modi, Hindustan, and Moradabad.” The graffiti was called Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. The country’s historical name; a city in Pradesh, western Uttar.
Graffiti was scribbled on a sign of a Hindu temple on Chino Hill.
(Mehul Patel)
Tagger sprayed these words on the marble signs of the temple, brick walls and city trails, authorities said.
The lawmakers arrived at the temple around 9:13am and immediately notified the Chino Hills code enforcement. Baps volunteer Mehul Patel said all graffiti on the facility and sidewalk had been removed as of Sunday.
“Faced with another mandil’s exaggeration, this time in Chino Hills, California, the Hindu community is in a state of disgust in hatred,” Baps Public Affairs said in X.
Members of the Hindu community joined social media to express concern about vandalism at the temple.
The Hindus Union of North Americans said, “It will not be surprising as this is approaching the so-called “Kalistan referendum.”
The referendum is a non-binding vote in the movement to create Khalistan, an independent Sikh country in Punjab, India.
Patel said the latest vandalism attack took place in Bapus Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, and it was composed of similarly intrusive messages.
“I know there have been other incidents at BAPS not only in California but also nationwide,” Patel said. “From what I know, the suspect was not due to the Sacramento incident. There was no security footage. Here’s it.”
Chino Hills Mayor Art Bennett attended prayers and called the graffiti “hatred.”
(Mayank Patel)
Surveillance footage shows two suspects walking to the temple and scoping the area before tagging the marble sign, he said. One suspect is waiting for the car to pass before tagging the sidewalk.
“I was saddened to hear about this hateful vandalism,” said X’s council member Ash Kara (D. San Jose).
Authorities have not yet classified the incident as a hate crime. Mara Rodriguez, a spokesman for the San Bernandino Sheriff’s Office, said the update was not available on Sunday, the Times said.
Baps represents the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a social spiritual faith with Vedic roots. This is a collection of sacred texts that serve as the core foundation of religion, according to the temple’s website. Faith was founded in 1907 by Shastrij Maharaj.
Randil Jaiswal, a spokesman for India’s Foreign Ministry, told the Independent that New Delhi had denounced “despicable conduct.”
“We are calling on local law enforcement agencies to take strict action against those responsible for these actions and to ensure proper security. [for] Place of worship,” Jayswal said.
Southern California’s Hindu temples were destroyed over the weekend, causing law enforcement investigations. Members of the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple prayed for peace and unity on Sunday afternoon.
(Mehul Patel)
Members of the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple prayed for peace and unity on Sunday afternoon.
Chino Hills Mayor Art Bennett attended prayers and called the graffiti “hatred.”
“We’re following up with the police department. We’ll find out who these people are and charge all the criminals,” Bennett said at the event. “We have always been welcoming BAPS in Chino Hills. When we chose to bring this Mandil back here in 2004, we were very happy. It’s a place of beauty and cultural excellence.”
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