The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was sprayed with anti-Hindu graffiti by unidentified persons on Wednesday.
The temple is run by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha, a Hindu sect headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The incident came less than ten days after a similar act of vandalism at a temple run by the Sanstha in New York.
“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 Sanstha’s public affairs wing said in a post on X.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responding to the complaint found that the property’s water lines had been cut.
The Sanstha’s public affairs wing said that community leaders gathered for a “heartfelt prayer ceremony” after the incident.
“Inspired by Mahant Swami Maharaj, we remain dedicated to promoting harmony and standing against intolerance,” it wrote on X. “Together we will defeat hate.”
The ceremony was attended by several officials, including California State Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen, Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, Rancho Cordova Vice Mayor Siri Pulipati, Police Chief Matthew Tamayo, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Amar Gandhi, Rancho Cordova Assistant City Manager David Kwong and Community Prosecutor Rochelle Beardsley, reported The Hindu.
Ami Bera, who represents CA06 and the Sacramento County in the US House of Representatives, condemned the vandalism, noting that Sacramento County must stand against religious intolerance.
“There is no place for religious bigotry and hatred in Sacramento County,” he wrote on X. “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.”
A similar act of vandalism was reported at the Sanstha’s Swaminarayan Temple in New York on September 17.
The Indian consulate in New York described the vandalism as “unacceptable” and said it had raised the matter with law enforcement authorities in the United States.
In July, the Sanstha’s Swaminarayan Temple in Canada’s Edmonton was sprayed with alleged anti-India graffiti. The Indian consulate in Vancouver had urged Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and act promptly against the perpetrators.
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