The Bhartiya Consulate in San Francisco denounced the defacement of the Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California that displayed anti-Bharat graffiti on December 23, citing that the incident has left the sentiment of the Bhartiya community hurt.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco demanded speedy investigation and immediate action into the matter from the US authorities. The body took to X and expressed their disappointment, saying, “We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti. 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.”
From the preliminary glance, the blame for such an incident rests on the pro-Khalistan activists, accounting to the police. The news of the apparent incident came to light on December 22. The Newark Police Service has launched an investigation into the vandalism.
As per the source from the temple administration, the incident took place on December 21 night.
“One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed,” Bhargav Raval who is the spokesperson for the temple administration, told ANI.
Revelation by made by the temple staff added that the temple authorities were ‘shocked’ to find the anti-Bharatiya graffiti on its wall. Jonathan Arguello, sitting on the designation of police captain for the city of Newark, reassured the public saying that the ‘targeted act’ was under investigation.
“Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it’s going to be investigated with full thoroughness. I can also tell you that as a member of the Newark Police Department and the Newark community, we’re deeply saddened when these types of acts occur, and we think they’re senseless and they have no room. We won’t tolerate them here in Newark. So today, I wanted to make sure that you understand how seriously we take these situations and know that we will investigate as thoroughly as possible with utmost care and sensitivity. I can also tell you that officers are currently investigating this via evidence collection,” the captain told reporters during a press conference.
In order to ensure an efficient investigation, the police officials are working their way up by piecing together the information available from the surveillance footage in the neighbouring residences. However, this is not the only incident of vandalism in the temples. The occurrence of the event stands uncanny as it surfaces right after the US Justice Department unsealing an indictment against a Bhartiya national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Bharat-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.
The US Justice Department laid out claims stating that a Bhartiya employee (namely CC-1) who was left unidentified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, hired a Bhartiya national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors. Gupta is currently in custody and has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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Pannun has gained popularity with the NIA since 2019 when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was declared a ‘designated individual terrorist’ by the Government of India on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to support and fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, NIA investigations have shown.
Previously, Khalistanis allegedly targeted the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Videos of supporters breaking the doors and barging into the office surfaced on social media. Visuals shared online showed a mob brandishing Khalistan flags mounted on wooden poles, using them to smash the glass doors and windows of the consulate building.
They raised pro-Khalistan slogans as they broke through makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two Khalistani flags inside the premises. In another related incident in Canada, a Hindu temple was defaced by extremist elements with Khalistan referendum posters in August. The incident happened in British Columbia province in Canada.
ANI
