By Jitarth Jai Bhardwaj, Amit Sarwal and Pallavi Jain
In a shocking incident, a third Hindu temple has been vandalised within fifteen days with Hindu hate and pro-Khalistan graffiti in Melbourne’s Albert Park.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple also known as the Hare Krishna Temple is a well-known centre of the Bhakti Yoga Movement in Melbourne.
In the early hours of Monday morning, temple management found the walls of the revered temple vandalised with graffiti “Hindustan Murdabad” which can be translated as “Death to Hindu place”.
Bhakta Das, Director of Communication for ISKCON Temple told The Australia Today, “We are shocked and outraged with this blatant disregard for respect for the place of worship.
“A complaint has been filed with Victoria Police and CCTV footage is being provided to assist them in their pursuit of culprits.”
Shivesh Pandey an IT consultant and devotee of ISKCON temple told The Australia Today, “In the last two weeks, Victoria Police has failed to take any decisive action against the people who are running their hate-filled agenda against the peaceful Hindu community.”
“Every Hindu around me is so frustrated with authorities, you tell me what are we supposed to do?”
Shall we come out on the streets and then only the Victorian government and Victoria Police will wake up from their slumber,”
added Mr Pandey
Acting Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan told The Australia Today, “All Victorians deserve to practice their faith free from racism, vilification and hatred.”
“It is disgraceful to desecrate religious temples in this way.”
“This behaviour is not reflective of the majority of Victorians. The diversity of Victoria is one of our strongest assets, and we condemn these attacks,” Ms Allan added.
This attack on ISKCON Temple came just two days after Victorian multifaith leaders had an emergency meeting with Victorian Multicultural Commission after which a statement of condemnation was issued against the spread of Hindu hate by Khalistan supporters.
These Khalistan supporters are now so emboldened because of no action against them that they have posted a video on social media of their vandalism of the ISKCON Temple.
The Australia Today has decided not to post it however here is a screenshot of the video.
Victorian Liberal Party MP Brad Battin has told The Australia Today, “This is disgusting. We must not allow this to happen.”
“We have seen it in the past against our local Muslim mosques, and the community condemned it.
Stand together, call it out.”
Federal Member of Parliament Josh Burns issued a statement saying, “I was shocked today to learn of the hateful attack on the Hare Krishna temple in Albert Park.”
“This is the third incident of vandalism against Hindu places of worship in Melbourne in recent weeks.
“Racial and religious hatred, vilification and vandalism have no place in multicultural Australia, and certainly not in Macnamara, where people from all backgrounds live harmoniously together.”
“I have been a regular visitor to the Hare Krishna Temple and have strongly supported the great work they do for our local community.
“They work to promote peace and harmony and have done nothing to deserve such a hate-filled attack.
“I have spoken to community leaders today and will continue to provide support on behalf of the people of Macnamara,“ added Mr Burns.
Earlier, the Indian-Australian community was dismayed with two of its most iconic Hindu temples outside the Indian subcontinent vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti.
The vandalism of the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs came just within a week of anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti smeared on the walls of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Mill Park.
This act of vandalism came to notice on Monday 16th January morning when Temple devotees came for ‘darshan’ as three days long “Thai Pongal” festival is being celebrated by the Tamil Hindu community.
The Australia Today has also revealed how Khalistan supporters recorded a video of their despicable and disrespectful act at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir. And soon, the social media accounts started sharing the images and videos claiming it to be their brave act against Indian-Australian Hindus.
Khalistan supporters have allegedly written praises of an Indian terrorist Bhindrawale on the walls of all the Hindu temples. Bhindrawale was responsible for killing more than twenty thousand Hindus and Sikhs.
India was rocked by Khalistan terrorism through the 1980s with thousands of innocent Hindus and Sikhs killed in Punjab by Khalistani terrorists who were allegedly supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency the ISI.
These Khalistani terrorists wanted a separate state for the Sikhs carved out only from Indian Punjab leaving no one in doubt about who was pulling the strings. While Khalistan terrorism was brought to an end by India within its territory almost thirty years ago, some groups of Khalistani separatists and their supporters have remained active in some western countries allegedly with support from Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.
In one of the deadliest terror attacks in aviation history before 9/11, 329 people were killed by Khalistani terrorists on Air India flight 182 which was flying from Montreal to Mumbai via London and New Delhi on this very day 37 years ago.
The terrorists planted a bomb on the flight which blew up mid-air while flying from Montreal to London killing everyone on board. Among those killed were 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens and 24 Indian citizens.
Countries like the US and Canada have already deemed Khalistani separatist groups like the Babbar Khalsa International and International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) as terrorist organisations.
India has condemned the vandalisation of Hindu temples in Australia and said that the matter has been raised with the Australian government in Canberra and asked for expeditious investigation against the perpetrators.
Australian High Commissioner In India Barry O’Farrell issued a statement after Indian intervention.
He said, “We have been shocked at the vandalism of two Hindu temples in Melbourne, & Australian authorities are investigating.”
Victoria Police confirmed to The Australia Today that an investigation into the vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir and Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple incident is ongoing.
“Frankston Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating following reports a temple in Carrum Downs has been damaged by graffiti,” a statement reads.
“Police were made aware of the incident, on Wednesday 18 January, with the incident believed to have occurred sometime overnight between 15-16 January. It is believed the damage included graffiti slogans of what appears to be a political nature.”
Police are investigating Albert Park incident and anyone who witnessed the incident or any suspicious behaviour, has dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Note: The Australia Today has connected multiple stakeholders for comments, we will update the story as it happens.
