A day after there was public outcry following the beating of an Indian student in Adelaide, another shocking news has come to light. Melbourne’s Boronia Swaminarayan Temple and two Asian restaurants were vandalized with obscene graffiti, The Australia Today reported.
Among the graffiti was a spray-painted portrait of Adolf Hitler with the racist slogan, ‘Go Home Brown C**T’ seen on the temple grounds on Wadhurst Drive. The same slogan was seen at the two nearby Asian restaurants, causing concern over what seems to be an ominous trend of racially charged attacks.
Responding strongly to the defacement of the temple, Makrand Bhagwat, President of the Hindu Council of Australia (Victoria branch), called it more than vandalism.
“Our temple is supposed to be a place of peace, devotion and unity. To have it attacked in this way is felt as an assault on our identity, our right to worship and freedom of religion,” he said to media organizations.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan also denounced the act in a letter she wrote to the leadership of the temple. She termed the act as “hateful and racist” and affirmed that she had instructed authorities to initiate a speedy investigation. “It wasn’t vandalism, but an act of hate, to intimidate, isolate and spread fear,” she said.
Indian Man Assaulted in Adelaide
The hate graffiti attack comes in the wake of another distressing incident, a 23-year-old Indian national, Charanpreet Singh, was brutally assaulted in Adelaide. The attack, according to reports, was over a parking dispute and is presently under investigation as a possible hate crime.
Singh, who was with his wife at the time of the altercation, revealed a group accosted his vehicle, hurled racial insults, and physically assaulted him.
He was left with serious facial wounds and is still in hospital. The 20-year-old alleged assailant has been taken into custody over the attack.
Footage of the attack, which has been shared extensively on social media, captures Singh being punched with what looks like metal knuckles. In the video, attackers are heard shouting: “Fk off, Indian.”
Speaking to 9News from his hospital bed, Singh recounted how things developed. “What started as a parking row soon escalated to become a hate crime,” he said, adding, “You can alter anything in your body, but you cannot alter the colours.”
Both the incidents geographically apart yet united by racial hatred have spurred fresh fears among Australia’s Indian diaspora about their security and the number of targeted attacks.
