'Vandalism, Bigotry And Hate...': US Lawmakers Condemn Desecration Of New York's BAPS Temple | Watch

Several US lawmakers have condemned the desecration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New York’s Melville after the Hindu temple was defaced with hateful messages on Sunday night. Delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Tom Suozzi from New York expressed outrage over the incident.

He underlined that this act of bigotry is part of a troubling trend of increasing hate crimes across the United States. “This past weekend, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville was desecrated with hateful graffiti. This morning, I spoke on the House floor about the increase in incidents of vandalism, bigotry, and hate on Long Island, in New York, and across our country,” he later said in a post on X.

Ahead of PM Modi’s Visit

More than two dozen top American lawmakers have expressed outrage over the recent vandalism in New York, which came days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. The road and the signage outside the BAPS temple in Melville were sprayed with expletives. Melville is located in Suffolk County, on Long Island and is about 28 kilometres from the 16,000-seater Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where PM Modi is scheduled to address a mega community event on September 22.

‘Hateful vandalism’

Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer said the desecration of this Hindu house of worship is a “vile” act. “Hate has no place on Long Island or anywhere else in New York or across America,” he added.  “I am deeply saddened by the desecration of the BAPS Mandir in Melville, NY. This act of vandalism is a clear attempt to incite hatred against Hindus and has no place in our country. We must come together to show that love and understanding will always triumph over intolerance and division,” Congressman Rich McCormick said.

“It is upsetting to see the hateful vandalism of the BAPS Hindu Temple in Melville, New York. I’m wishing our Hindu community strength and peace in the face of this unacceptable display of intolerance. Standing together, we can remain stronger than hate,” said lawmaker Andy Kim. Congressman Brad Sherman said the vandalism of the temple is not only a “vile act of hate” against the Hindu community but also an “unjust attack on our shared value of religious pluralism”. “I stand with Hindu Americans. Those responsible must be prosecuted to the law’s fullest extent,” he said.

‘Vandalism, bigotry, and hate’

Congressman Jonathan L Jackson said he was deeply saddened by the desecration of the “magnificent temple and all threats of hatred against the Hindu community”. “These acts of vandalism, bigotry, and hate are a continuation of the hatred that we have seen aimed at Haitian, Venezuelan, Afghani, and other immigrant groups in recent years. These attacks are antithetical to the fundamental values of this great nation. Unlike the old world, the American experiment is built upon the ideal that all those who believe in the Dream of America are equally American. This is regardless of race, sex, religion, or national origin,” he said.

“I strongly condemn these acts and pray for peace, respect, and harmony for all. I extend my deepest prayers for those affected by this act of hate and support law enforcement in their efforts to bring those who perpetrated this crime to justice,” Jackson said. Congresswoman Grace Meng said she was “appalled” to learn about the temple being targeted by vandals. “There is no place for hate & intolerance in our community. I stand with the Hindu community as they pray for peace & unity. Those responsible for these crimes must be held accountable,” she said.

‘I strongly condemn’

Earlier, Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna this week also condemned the vandalism of a Hindu temple in New York and called for bringing the guilty to the book. “I strongly condemn this act of desecration of a Hindu temple in Melville, NY. Freedom of worship is a bedrock of our democracy. There is no place for acts of intimidation, harassment or violence. We need accountability and to make sure this does not happen again,” Ro Khanna said.

A spokesperson from the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in a statement condemned the defacement. “Peace, respect, and harmony for all, regardless of background or faith, are the bedrock of religious freedom in the United States,” the statement read. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi termed the act despicable, even as he called for unity among Americans.

“I am appalled by the despicable acts of vandalism targeting the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville. As our country faces a surge in political violence and acts of bigotry, we must stand together as Americans against all forms of hate,” he said. Congressman Shri Thanedar said, “Such acts of vandalism, bigotry, and hate must be fully investigated. The BAPS community deserves answers and justice.” Hindu American Foundation called for an investigation into the incident by the Department of Justice. Hindu PACT also demanded an FBI investigation into the incident.