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posted by: Kavya Mishra
Last updated: May 05, 2023, 23:58 IST
The incident occurred at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Rosehill. (BAPS website)
Temple authorities also found a Khalistani flag hanging on the gate, and reported the matter to New South Wales (NSW) Police.
A prominent Hindu temple in Sydney was defaced by pro-Khelistani elements on Friday with anti-Indian graffiti, in the latest incident of vandalism against Hindu temples in Australia ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country later this month.
The incident occurred at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Rosehill, Sydney.
Temple authorities also found a Khalistani flag hanging on the gate, and reported the matter to New South Wales (NSW) police, Australia Today reports.
“We are deeply saddened by the anti-India graffiti on the walls of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Rosehill, Sydney, by anti-social elements,” the temple said in a statement.
“We are most disappointed that BAPS temples have been targeted in Australia. For the past 23 years, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir has been a cornerstone of the local community and a landmark Hindu temple that, like all BAPS temples worldwide, is the abode of peace, harmony, equality, selfless service and universal Hindu values,” ” He said.
Parramatta MP Andrew Charlton arrived at the Babs Temple as soon as he was informed of the Hindu hate incident, Australia Today reports.
Charlton, along with the temple authorities, helped repaint the wall.
“This morning, the Babs Temple in the Parramatta constituency was vandalized by religious extremists. I am deeply shocked and saddened by this senseless act of vandalism. Everyone in Australia has the right to exercise their faith in peace,” he was quoted as saying.
At this time, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is praying for peace and unity and has appealed to all devotees and well-wishers in the community to maintain peace.
We are grateful to the local police leadership, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the State and Federal Members of Parliament, the Indian High Commission and the Consul General of Sydney for their continued support.”
BAPS temples across Australia are symbols of a thriving multicultural community that nurtures Australian values of respect, friendship and tolerance. And we ask everyone to participate in a universal prayer that God blesses and directs us all to continue doing good and thinking good for all.”
“Officers from the Cumberland Police Area Command have launched an investigation following reports of malicious damage to a religious site in Rosehill,” a NSW Police spokesperson said in a statement.
“The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.” Earlier this year, three Hindu temples in Melbourne and two Hindu temples in Brisbane were vandalized by supporters of Khalistan.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Sydney for a quadripartite summit on May 24.
In March, during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to India, Prime Minister Modi raised with him the issue of repeated attacks on Hindu temples and communicated his concerns to him.
In this regard, Albanese assured Modi that Australia would not tolerate attacks on religious sites and anyone responsible for such activities would face the “full force of the law”.
Read all the latest India news and Karnataka elections 2023 update here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is republished from a syndicated news agency feed.)
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