The BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Sydney, Australia, was vandalised early on Friday (local time), according to The Australia Today.
Nearly two months have passed since pro-Khalistan supporters vandalised temples in Melbourne and Brisbane. Authorities at the temple in Western Sydney’s Rosehill area claimed they discovered offensive graffiti on the building’s front wall and a purported “Khalistan flag” hanging on its gate, according to The Australia Today, a news source specialising in ethnic communities and the Indian subcontinent.
“When I went this morning for prayers I saw ugly vandalism on the front wall,” a local resident of Harris Park and a daily visitor to the Swaminarayan temple told the Australian media outlet.
The Australia Today media report said it understands that local police were notified by the temple management as early as 7 am, and the latter has told the media outlet that NSW Police officers have attended the temple and CCTV footage has been provided to assist them in the investigations.
Earlier this year too, there were reports of temple vandalisation in Australia. Three temples in Melbourne and two in Brisbane were vandalised by Khalistan supporters.
The latest episode of temple vandalisation by anti-social elements comes days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend in-person the Quad Leaders’ Summit scheduled on May 24 in Sydney. Indian Australian Diaspora Foundation will host a grand community reception in honour of PM Modi a day ahead of the QUAD Leaders’ Summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier raised concerns with his Australian counterpart, to which he assured that the safety of the Indian community is a special priority.
“I gave him the assurance that Australia is a country that respects people’s faith. That we don’t tolerate the sort of extreme actions and attacks that we’ve seen on religious buildings, be they Hindu temples, mosques, synagogues, or churches. This has no place in Australia,” Albanese said addressing a press conference during his recent India visit.
In the US and Canada too, the pro-Khalistan supporters had attempted on various occasions to vandalise temples and Indian diplomatic installations after police in India lodged a manhunt on radicalist Amritpal Singh. The radical preacher of separatism was on the run for over a month and surrendered before Punjab Police on April 23 from Moga.