Another incident of vandalism of a Hindu temple has come to the fore in Australia. On Saturday, March 4, Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane’s Burbank suburb was vandalised with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti defacing its walls. According to local media reports, the vandalism was carried out by pro-Khalistani supporters. However, some other media reports suggest that the Khalistani extremists blamed the Indian National Congress party for the defacing of the temple’s boundary wall.
The miscreants wrote anti-Hindu, anti-India and pro-Khalistani slogans on the walls near the temple during the vandalization.
Pro-Khalistan supporters target Shree Laxmi Narayan Hindu temple in Brisbane #Brisbane #Hindutemple #ShreeLaxmiNarayanTemple #vandalised https://t.co/an0MRYOhyp
— Republic (@republic) March 4, 2023
The vandalism was noticed when devotees came for their morning prayers on Saturday morning.
A resident, Ramesh Kumar, who lives near the temple, told The Australia Today: “I am aware of what has happened at Melbourne Hindu Temples, but facing this hate ourselves is a very distressing experience.”
The Australia Today spoke to Temple President Satinder Shukla who said: “Temple priest and devotees called this morning and notified me about the vandalism on the boundary wall of our temple.”
Meanwhile, Sarah Gates, who is the Director of Hindu Human Rights told the local media house, “This latest hate crime is a pattern of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) globally, clearly attempting to terrorise Australian Hindus. Coupled with a barrage of propaganda, illegal signs, and cyberbullying, the organisation intends to present all-pervasive threats, fear, and intimidation.”
Hindu temples vandalised by pro-Khalistani supporters in Australia
Reportedly, this is the fourth such incident involving a Hindu temple in Australia in the last two months. In January, Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Australia’s Carrum Downs was vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti.
‘Target Modi’, ‘Modi Hitler’, and ‘Hindustan Murdabad’, read the slogans that were painted on the walls of the temples during vandalization. According to the reports, the attack is said to have happened on January 16 days after Khalistan supporters allegedly attacked and vandalized BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Mill Park on January 12. This temple was also vandalised by anti-India elements with anti-India slogans written on the temple’s walls.
The management of Melbourne’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple also known as the Hare Krishna Temple found the temple walls vandalised with anti-India graffiti.
The attack on the Hindu temples has been condemned by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and Gurdwara Siri Guru Nanak Darbar, Victorian Council of Churches and the Buddhist Council of Victoria. According to the Councils, death threats against Hindus are a significant concern, since the Indian-Australian community is now living in terror of Khalistan sympathisers.
Later, the Indian High Commission in Canberra condemned the “deeply disturbing” incidents of vandalisation of three Hindu temples in Melbourne and asked the Australian Government to ensure the safety and security of members of the Indian community and their properties in the country.
