Bharat and the Bharatiya embassy in San Francisco responded sternly after the walls of a Hindu temple, SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in California, United States were defaced with anti-Bharat graffiti by Sikh separatist elements. Reacting to growing anti-Bharat activities in the US, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar affirmed that extremists and separatists should not be given space.
After the incident was reported, the Bharatiya embassy in San Francisco sought an investigation into the incident and also registered a complaint with the US government. Informing about the same, EAM Jaishankar said that the police had initiated an inquiry into the incident.
Taking to the microblogging platform X, the Consulate General of Bharat in San Francisco strongly condemned the incident. Stating that they have pressed for prompt action against the vandals by US authorities, the Consulate General stated that the incident has deeply hurt the feelings of the Bharatiya community.
Meanwhile, the City of Newark Police Department stated that any threatening acts, damage caused to properties, intimidation, harassment, or other crimes that have a basis in hate or bias are deemed serious and are given high priority. It added that by looking at the anti-Bharat graffiti, it seems that it was a targeted act and it is being investigated.
The current incident comes days after the US Department of Justice charged a Bharatiya national for his alleged involvement in a plot to murder Sikh separatist and SFJ Chief, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the US’ claims, saying that “The government will look into it”. He further stated that such a “Few incidents would not derail the relationships between the two nations”.
In July 2023, Bharat’s consulate in San Francisco was attacked by extremists who attempted to deface and set it on fire. At the same time, multiple temples have been defaced by the Sikh separatists in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
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