Page 14 - The Indian EYE 010524

North The Indian Eye

AMERICANNewsline

14 JANUARY 05, 2024

Outrage and condemnation as Hindu temple

defaced amid tensions over Pannun case

Several US lawmakers, including 3 prominent Indian-American Congressmen,

strongly condemn the vandalism in California

OUR BUREAU district, said he is glad the communi-
ty is rallying in support of the mandir.
Newark, CA
Congressman Shri Thanedar
uspected pro-Khalistan activists also expressed his profound condem-
allegedly defaced the Swamina- nation of the “disgraceful act of van-
Srayan temple in Newark, Cali- dalism”. “This desecration, marked
fornia. The exterior wall of the Hindu by anti-India graffiti, strikes at the
temple was defaced with anti-India very essence of our diverse and inclu-
graffiti. The Newark Police Service sive society. I denounce such attacks
has already started an investigation. of intolerance and call for a thor-
According to the temple admin- ough investigation into this heinous
istration, the incident took place on crime,” Thanedar, the US represen-
Thursday night. “One of the devotees, tative from Michigan’s 13th congres-
who lives close to the shrine, discov- sional district, said.
ered anti-Hindu and anti-India graf- Earlier, Khalistanis allegedly
fiti in black ink on an exterior wall of attacked the Indian Consulate in
the building, and the local adminis- San Francisco. Videos of supporters
tration was immediately informed,” breaking the doors and barging into
Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the office surfaced on social media.
the temple administration, who add- Visuals shared online showed
ed that the temple authorities were to hire a hitman to carry out the as- terrorist’ by the Government of India a mob brandishing Khalistan flags
shocked to find the anti-Indian graf- sassination, which was foiled by US on July 1, 2020, has been actively ex- mounted on wooden poles, using
fiti on its wall. authorities, according to prosecutors. horting Punjab-based gangsters and them to smash glass doors and win-
The police official said to piece Gupta is currently in custody youth over social media to fight for dows of the consulate building.
together the chain of events leading and has been charged with murder- the cause of the independent state of They raised pro-Khalistan slo-
to the act of defacement, the foot- for-hire, which carries a maximum Khalistan, challenging the sovereign- gans as they broke through makeshift
age from surveillance cameras in the sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech ty, integrity and security of the coun- security barriers raised by the city po-
neighbouring residences were being authorities arrested and detained try, NIA investigations have shown. lice and installed two Khalistani flags
looked into. Gupta on June 30, pursuant to the Pannun has been under the NIA inside the premises.
The temple spokesperson add- bilateral extradition treaty between lens since 2019 when the anti-ter- In another related incident in
ed the temple authorities were the US and the Czech Republic. ror agency registered its first case Canada, a Hindu temple was defaced
‘shocked’ to find the anti-Indian Reacting to the Justice Depart- against him. by extremist elements with Khalistan
graffiti on its wall. ment’s indictment, the Ministry of Meanwhile, several US law- referendum posters in August. The
This is not the first such inci- External Affairs said the case filed makers, including 3 prominent In- incident happened in British Colum-
dent where a temple has been de- against an individual in a US court, dian-American Congressmen, have bia province in Canada. The post-
faced with such graffiti in the re- allegedly linking him to an Indian of- strongly condemned the vandalism ers shared by Australia Today, read

cent past. The incident comes close ficial, was a “matter of concern” and of a Hindu temple in California. “Canada investigates the role of India
on the heels of the US Justice De- is contrary to government policy. Congressman Ro Khanna, who rep- in June 18th assassination”.
partment unsealing an indictment “We cannot share any further resents California’s 17th Congressio- The video of the incident also
against an Indian national for his information on such security mat- nal District located in Silicon Valley, went on social media platforms.
alleged involvement in a foiled plot ters. As regards the case against an said in a post on X that he strongly The video shared by Australia Today
to assassinate India-designated ter- individual that has been filed in a condemns the “defacing” of the Swa- showed two masked men putting up
rorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun US court allegedly linking him to minarayan temple in Newark, Cali- the posters and taking photos be-
on American soil. an Indian official, this is a matter of fornia which is in his district. fore fleeing the scene. The poster on
The Justice Department claimed concern. We have said and let me re- Congressman Raja Krishna- the temple gate referred to and also
that an Indian government employee iterate that this is contrary to govern- moorthi termed the defacing of the had the picture of Khalistan Tiger
(named CC-1), who was not identi- ment policy” the MEA spokesperson Swaminarayan temple as “despica- Force chief and designated terrorist
fied in the indictment filed in a feder- said. ble” and said he strongly condemns Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot
al court in Manhattan, recruited an Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who it. Krishnamoorthi, the US represen- dead by unidentified assailants in
Indian national named Nikhil Gupta was declared a ‘designated individual tative for Illinois’s 8th congressional June this year.

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