By Jai Bharadwaj and Amit Sarwal
In the series of attacks on Hindu Temples in Australia this time Shree Swaminarayan Temple (Mandir) in Perth, Western Australia has received a threatening call from Khalistan supporters.
As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew from Perth to be in India in a few hours, Khalistan supporters released an audio recording in which they can be heard threatening the Shree Swaminarayan Temple President.
Shree Swaminarayan Temple is situated on Marshall Road in Perth the capital of Western Australia.
Temple President Vinodbhai Hirani told The Australia Today, “I received the call from an American number while I was working at Temple.”
“As I was very busy with the Holi festival preparation, I told him to call another day if it was not an important call.”
The Khalistan supporter ‘man’ on the phone call claimed that his name is ‘Gurupdesh Singh’ and is calling to warn Hindus to support Khalistan or face dire consequences.
“Khalistan goon can be heard in the audio recording menacingly ordering Temple President Vinodbhai Hirani to chant ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ five times before the ‘aarti’ (prayer).”
The followers of Bhagwan Swaminarayan who are part of Sanatan Dharma (the eternal Hindu Faith) feel distressed and angry after being targeted for their religious practices. They are seeking support from administrative and police authorities in Western Australia.
Temple President Vindobhai Hirani told The Australia Today, “We are having a meeting of our management committee to decide what else should be done to keep our temple safe.”
Sarah L. Gates is the Director of Hindu Human Rights.
Ms Gates told The Australia Today, “Sikhs For Justice record their hateful activities, in this case, recording threatening call to Temple is unlawful.”
Ms Gates explains how Khalistan supporters spread hate-filled propaganda.
“Khalistan supporters use a carriage service & bots to menace and harass Australian Hindus. They generate targeted propaganda from footage of hate crimes in temples.”
“They photograph their illegal installation of Hinduphobic, racist and religious vilification materials across the cities. Media reports are deployed to spread disinformation.”
“Hashtags and account tags, names, properties and faces are used by Khalistanis to target Hindu individuals including dangerous doxxing.”
She says targets are primarily Australian Hindus of all ethnicities, their properties, contact details and their digital information.
“Safety should be the first priority for Australian Hindus.”
Ms Gates suggests some practical ways to keep safe.
- Practice social media safety by locking personal accounts with details like family photos that they can use to target you.
- Avoid engaging online and use block & lock to avoid doxxing.
- Call 000 in an emergency.
- Call your local police to report incidents against you or file witness reports.
- Call and email the evidence while on the call.
- Report all relevant information to the police link:
https://www.police.qld.gov.au/policelink-reporting
Hinduphobic crimes by pro-Khalistani elements have significantly increased in Australia under the name of the bogus Khalistan Referendum by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
In the last two months, Australia has seen six separate anti-Hindu attacks on their places of worship initiated by pro-Khalistan elements living in the country.
Further, Hindu community leaders and their religious festivals have constantly been targeted by Khalistani goons.
Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong who was in New Delhi to participate in the QUAD meeting has said that Australia doesn’t “recognise any protest by Khalistani supporters.”
She added:
“ We respect India’s sovereignty. The Khalistani issue which was raised has obviously been raised through protests. But they have no status. On the broader issue, I would say we have a society where we would expect any criminal activity to be responded to.”
In addition, Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell has also categorically said that Australia’s respect for Indian sovereignty is unwavering and the so-called Khalistan referendum being conducted on Australian soil has no legal standing.
Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Perth belongs to a larger group of Swaminarayan Organisations and Temples around the world. In Australasia, there are established temples in Auckland (New Zealand), Sydney, and Melbourne along with chapters operating in Brisbane and Adelaide.
Earlier, on 12 January 2023, the walls of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Mill Park were vandalised with graffiti.
The Australia Today has revealed that Khalistani goons recorded a video of their despicable act of vandalising the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir and shared it on social media claiming it to be their brave act.
The followers of Bhagwan Swaminarayan first arrived in Perth in the mid-80s and organised small-scale Satsang Sabhas (prayer meetings) and social functions at individuals’ houses on a monthly basis.
This Mandir was incorporated on 25 July 2006 as a non-profit organisation as it “strives to propagate and promote the true and original precepts and tenets of the Shree Swaminarayan Faith ordained by Lord Swaminarayan.”
View the eSafety report & documentation methods info here:
https://www.esafety.gov.au/report/forms
Report security issues to the security hotline:
https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/crime-types/fighting-terrorism/national-security-hotline-contact
Note: The Australia Today has connected multiple stakeholders for comments, we will update the story as it happens.