In a shocking incident, the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Melville, New York was left vandalized and defaced on Monday, September 16. The issue came to light when pictures and videos of the desecration started flooding social media platforms. Derogatory slogans targeting the Indian Prime Minister had also been painted on the temple premises.
The BAPS Swaminarayan Temples are some of the most well known and well funded Hindu institutions. With their history in the North American continent spanning decades. The temples are managed by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha which is a global Hindu organization devoted to nurturing faith, inspiring service, and promoting a better way of life. Established in 1974 by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the first BAPS Mandir in North America was constructed on Flushing’s historic Bowne Street. Since then, BAPS has expanded its North American presence to over 100 mandirs throughout the United States and Canada.
In a press statement the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha condemned the incident and prayed for peace, adding: “Today, on September 16, 2024, we are saddened that we must once again appeal for peace in the face of hate and intolerance. Last night, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, was desecrated with messages of hatred. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Similar acts of desecration have occurred at various Hindu Mandirs across North America.”
The Indian Consulate also responded to the attacks with a post on X, “The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable; The Consulate General of India in New York is in touch with the community and has raised the matter with US law enforcement authorities for prompt action against the perpetrators of this heinous act.”
US lawmakers also condemned the incident, member of US Congress, representing New York’s 3rd Congressional District, Tom Suozzi, raised the issue of the desecration of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville in the US House of Representatives. He also spoke about the rise in the acts of vandalism, bigotry and hate.
Calling for action against vandals and criminals, Suozzi said, “In the short term, we need to hold vandals and criminals and people who commit hate crimes accountable. We need law enforcement to work to apprehend these criminals, and we need prosecutors to prosecute them to hold them accountable because people can’t just say whatever they want, regardless of the impact it has on other human beings. And in the long term, we need to do a much better job educating people about the importance of love and respect for other people.
Congressman of Indian origin, Ro Khanna also reacted to the vandalism, taking to X Khanna demanded accountability, “Freedom of worship is a bedrock of our democracy. There is no place for acts of intimidation, harassment or violence. We need accountability and to make sure this does not happen again.”
This is not the first time Hindu temples have come under attack in the North American continent. Earlier this year a BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in the Canadian city of Edmonton had also been vandalised with hateful and anti-India graffiti. The previous year, there were at least three incidents of attacks on Hindu temples, including at Mississauga, Brampton and Windsor, which also were targeted with Khalistani referendum posters with veiled threats to Hindus.
Hinduphobia and hate crimes against Indians are on a steady rise in the west. The recent attacks come just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three day trip to the United States, where he will participate in the highly anticipated QUAD Summit in Delaware on September 21. The PM is also expected to give a brief speech in the UN Summit for the Future. Finally he will be travelling to New York to address a mega community event on September 22.