Another Hindu temple attacked' with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California
Sanfrancisco: A Hindu temple in California has been defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti, two weeks after a prominent temple was vandalised in the same US state.
Unknown persons vandalised Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward in the Bau Area, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said on Friday.
It comes a few weeks after the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark was vandalised with anti-India graffiti.
''Another Bay Area Hindu temple attacked with pro-Khalistan graffiti. The Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward, CA sustained a copycat defacement just two weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir attack and one week after a theft at the Shiv Durga temple in the same area,'' the HAF posted on X on Friday.
The foundation has said that they have contacted the Alameda Police Department and Civil Rights Division.
''HAF is in touch with temple leaders and contact with @AlamedaPD & @CivilRights,'' the post read.
The foundation also asked temple leaders to download temple safety guide that discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime.
''We are once again encouraging all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide...The guide specifically discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime and also the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm systems in view of the rising threat from #Khalistan proponents as well as the omnipresent risk from anti-Hindu actors,'' the post said.
It comes a few weeks after the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark was vandalised with anti-India graffiti.
''Another Bay Area Hindu temple attacked with pro-Khalistan graffiti. The Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward, CA sustained a copycat defacement just two weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir attack and one week after a theft at the Shiv Durga temple in the same area,'' the HAF posted on X on Friday.
The foundation has said that they have contacted the Alameda Police Department and Civil Rights Division.
''HAF is in touch with temple leaders and contact with @AlamedaPD & @CivilRights,'' the post read.
The foundation also asked temple leaders to download temple safety guide that discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime.
''We are once again encouraging all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide...The guide specifically discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime and also the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm systems in view of the rising threat from #Khalistan proponents as well as the omnipresent risk from anti-Hindu actors,'' the post said.
#Breaking: Another Bay Area Hindu temple attacked with pro-#Khalistan graffiti.
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) January 5, 2024
The Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward, CA sustained a copycat defacement just two weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir attack and one week after a theft at the Shiv Durga temple in the same area.… pic.twitter.com/wPFMNcPKJJ
We are once again encouraging all temple leaders to download the @HinduAmerican temple safety guide https://t.co/zJnU1pdIl4
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) January 5, 2024
The guide specifically discusses that temple graffiti qualifies as a hate crime and also the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm… pic.twitter.com/IbJ16Y0t3o
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Madhya Pradesh: BJP leader assaults blind woman in Church
Jabalpur: Anju Bhargava, vice-president of BJP's Jabalpur city unit, has come under sharp scrutiny, creating the ripples of political controvery in Madhya Pradesh, after a video surfaced online showing her physically assaulting a visually impaired woman inside a church.
The New Indian Express has reported that the said incident reportedly took place on Saturday (20 Dec) at a church in the Hawa Bagh area, which comes under the limits of Gorakhpur police station.
The video footage that has circulated widely on Monday shows Anju Bhargava, assaulting the blind woman in the presence of a police officer. In the video, Bhargava is seen shouting at the woman, twisting her arm and forcibly grabbing her face. The victim can be heard pleading to Bhargava to speak to her rather than resorting to physical violence. Also, we can hear Bhargava screaming, “will be blind in her next birth too”
ALSO READ: Woman arrested for theft, stolen gold articles worth Rs 32 lakh seized
According to The Indian Express reports, Bhargava entered the church, with members of several Hindutva affiliated organisations, alleging that the visually impaired children were being forced into religious conversion; But, the students present at the church have flatly denied all the allegations.
An unnamed police officer cited in media reports states that there was no evidence to support claims of forced religious conversion. The incident has since intensified political debate in the state, with opposition parties demanding accountability and action against those involved.
