Pro-Khalistanis vandalise Hindu temple in Australia

Melbourne: In Australia, pro-Khalistanis attacked a Hindu temple in Brisbane, the latest in a series of attacks against Hindu shrines in the country, PTI reported.

The attacked temple was identified as Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple.

Temple president Satinder Shukla said, "Temple priest and devotees called this morning and notified me about the vandalism on the boundary wall of our temple," The Australia Today quoted.

Sarah Gates, director of Hindu Human Rights, said, "We have informed the Queensland police officers, and they assured to ensure the safety of Temple and devotees." She added that the latest incident was an attempt to terrorise Australian Hindus.

She said, "This latest hate crime is a pattern of Sikhs For Justice globally, clearly attempting to terrorise Australian Hindus. With a barrage of propaganda, illegal signs and cyberbullying, the organisation intends to present all-pervasive threats, fear and intimidation."

Sarah Gates later tweeted an image of the Hindu community fighting back after the attack on the temple. Community members with the temple committee cleaned anti-Hindu hate-filled graffiti.

She later tweeted an image of the Hindu community fighting back after the attack on the temple. Community members with the temple committee cleaned anti-Hindu hate-filled graffiti, PTI reports.

She captioned the tweet, "Hindustan Zindabad."

A resident of the area said, "Khalistan supporters are terrorising the Australian Hindu community and making it a very traumatising experience to practice our religion and visit temples."

The latest is the fourth such incident of vandalism against Hindu shrines in the country in two months.

On January 23, the walls of the revered ISCKON temple in Melbourne's Albert Park were vandalised with graffiti "Hindustan Murdabad", On January 16, the historic Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs, Victoria, was vandalised in a similar manner.

On January 12, the Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne was defaced by 'anti-social elements' with anti-India graffiti.

To these incidents, the Indian administration repeatedly issued their condemnation and notified the Australian government of the issue. I February, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and emphasised the need for vigilance against "radical activities" targeting the Indian community in Australia.

S Jaishankar tweeted after his meeting with Wong in Sydney that he "Noted the forward movement on our bilateral agenda. Emphasised the need for vigilance against radical activities targeting the Indian community."

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