BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in California vandalised with messages like "Hindus go back"

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was vandalised with anti-Hindu messages on the night of September 25, just days after a similar act of vandalism occurred at the BAPS Mandir in Long Island.

This incident also comes shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the US, raising concerns over the increasing targeting of Hindu temples in the United States.

Graffiti at the Sacramento temple included hateful slogans such as "Hindus go back," leaving the local Hindu community shaken. Despite this, the community remains resilient, expressing a strong commitment to standing united against hate.


"Less than 10 days after the desecration of the BAPS Mandir in New York, our Mandir in the Sacramento, CA area was desecrated last night with anti-Hindu hate: 'Hindus go back!' We stand united against hate with prayers for peace," the BAPS Public Affairs shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).


The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies responded to the temple in Mather, near Rancho Cordova, where they found the graffiti and discovered that vandals had also cut water lines on the property. The Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the vandalism.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation. Ami Bera, U.S. Representative for California's 6th Congressional District, expressed his outrage on social media, stating, "There is no place for religious bigotry and hatred in #SacramentoCounty. I strongly condemn this apparent act of vandalism in our community. All of us must stand against intolerance and ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of faith, feels safe and respected."


The Hindu American Foundation also responded, thanking Rep. Bera for his strong stance against the hate crime. "This vandalism is an anti-Hindu hate crime targeting a Hindu temple with messages conflating Hindus with the Govt of India and telling Hindus to 'go home'," the foundation said in a statement.

This attack on the Sacramento temple follows a September 17 incident at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New York, where similar anti-Hindu messages were spray-painted on the temple's walls. The Consulate General of India in New York condemned the New York vandalism as "unacceptable," calling for swift action against the perpetrators.

Several U.S. lawmakers, including Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar, have also denounced these repeated acts of vandalism and hate targeting Hindu places of worship. Thanedar condemned the latest incident as a "hideous act," urging that acts of "vandalism, bigotry, and hate" be thoroughly investigated.

(With ANI inputs)