Representative image (Picture credit: ANI) NEW DELHI: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) strongly condemned the recent vandalism of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, California, calling for strict action from US authorities. The temple was defaced with anti-India graffiti by unidentified individuals, which led to the outrage of Hindu groups. VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal criticised the attack and said, “Such an incident has not happened for the first time, but it’s the first time after the Trump administration came into power.
We condemn such acts and demand strict actions from the US administration and the police there.” As per PTI, the temple, located in San Bernardino County near Los Angeles, was targeted in what many Hindu organisations are calling a hate crime. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a prominent advocacy group, urged the FBI to investigate, posting on X, “We ask @ChinoHills_PD, @FBI @FBIDirectorKash @DNIGabbard to investigate this latest in a string of anti-Hindu hate crimes on our sacred spaces.
” The incident has drawn sharp reactions from various Hindu groups, with the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) linking it to growing Hinduphobia in the West. CoHNA, which advocates for Hindu rights in North America, highlighted past cases of temple vandalism , stating on X, “Another Hindu Temple vandalized – this time the iconic BAPS temple in Chino Hills, CA. It’s just another day in a world where media and academics.
