‘Vandalism, Bigotry And Hate…’: US Lawmaker Condemns Desecration Of New York’s BAPS Temple | Watch – News18

A US Congressman from New York has condemned the desecration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, which was vandalised with hateful messages.

Delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives, Tom Suozzi expressed his outrage over the incident and the rising hate crimes in the country. He noted 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. Hate is not the answer. Love is the answer. Namaste,” he later said in a post on X.

‘I strongly condemn’

In his remarks, Suozzi questioned the societal factors contributing to such acts of hatred, pointing to inflammatory rhetoric and a lack of accountability as potential causes. He called for immediate action against those responsible for hate crimes, urging law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute offenders. Earlier, the Indian mission in New York said that it had engaged with US law enforcement to ensure a prompt response to the incident.

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.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York was defaced with hateful messages on Sunday night. 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.