No space to Extremist forces : Jaishankar
Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans
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NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday reacted strongly to the vandalism of a Hindu temple in US and said that such "extremists" should not be given space by any country.
"I have seen it. Extremists, separatists, and such forces should not be given space. Our consulate there complained to the government and the police and an inquiry is under way," Jaishankar told reporters.
The remarks came after the Swami Narayan temple in Newark, US was defaced with anti-India graffiti. The incident came to light on Friday when the Hindu-American Foundation posted a story with photographs on X.
"Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana Sanstha in Newark, California was defaced with pro-#Khalistan slogans.@NewarkCA_Police and @CivilRights have been informed and full investigation will follow. We are insisting that this should be investigated as a hate crime," the Hindu American Foundation tweeted. According to the temple administration, the incident took place on Thursday night.
"One of the devotees, who lives close to the shrine, discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti in black ink on an exterior wall of the building, and the local administration was immediately informed," Bhargav Raval, the spokesperson for the temple administration, told news agency.
The spokesperson added the temple authorities were "shocked" to find the anti-Indian graffiti on its wall. Shedding more light into the incident, Jonathan Arguello, a police captain for the city of Newark, said the 'targeted act' was being investigated.
"Based on the graffiti, we believe it was a targeted act, and it's going to be investigated with full thoroughness," the captain told reporters during a press conference. He added that such "senseless" acts have no room in Newark and won't be tolerated at any cost.
The captain assured that the matter will be investigated as thoroughly as possible", adding that officers are already probing the evidence. The Consulate General of India in San Francisco also strongly condemned the defacing of the temple.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by ismatimes staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
(With inputs from agencies)
