India condemns Khalistani graffiti on walls of Australia’s Hindu temples

New Delhi, January 19

India has condemned the vandalisation of Hindu temples in Australia with Khalistani graffiti and said the issue has been raised with the Australian government in Canberra and here seeking an expeditious investigation against the perpetrators.

Responding to a media query regarding alleged vandalisation and graffiti being written on Hindu temples, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We are actually aware of the couples of temples that have been vandalised in Australia. We condemn these incidents. If I remember correctly, both of them are actually near Melbourne in Victoria. We strongly condemn this action. These actions have been publicly condemned by Australian leaders, community leaders, and religious associations there.”

In the latest incident, the Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Australia’s Carrum Downs was vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti on Monday. A week earlier, anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti was dabbed on the wall of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Mill Park.

Matters have been exacerbated with some slanted reporting from a pro-Hindutva media outlet in Australia named “The Australia Today’’ which alleged that this happened after Khalistan supporters failed to draw support for their referendum through a car rally in Melbourne on January 15.