“We condemn any form of violence, extremism”: US State spokesperson Ned Price on recent attacks on Hindu temples

The United States Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said, the United States condemns any sort of violence and extremism.

“We condemn any form of violence, we condemn the threat of violence, any form of violence, extremism. This is a country that has always had at its core key values, one of those is religious pluralism, tolerance for people of all faiths or no faith that is a principle that we uphold and respect. We condemn any individual or movement that seeks to carry out and acts with a different vision”, said Ned Price, in response to a question regarding Khalistani threat to Hindus and attacks on Hindu Temples.

In January earlier, a Hindu Temple in Brampton in Canada has been defaced with anti-India graffiti triggering outrage among the Indian community. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto on February 27 condemned the vandalism at the Gauri Shankar Mandir, stating that the act has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. The Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has condemned the vandalism and the Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

The consulate office, in a statement, said “We strongly condemn the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton, a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities.”

However, anti-India elements allegedly vandalised several Hindu temples in different parts of Australia in January. On January 23, a Hindu Temple was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in Melbourne’s Albert Park, reported Australia Today.

The incident was reported days after Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Australia’s Carrum Downs was vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti. The act came to notice on January 16 after temple devotees came for ‘darshan’ amid the three-day long “Thai Pongal” festival, which was celebrated by Australia’s Tamil Hindu community, The Australia Today reported.

A week before the above incident, on January 12, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Australia’s Mill Park was smeared with anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti. The temple was vandalised by anti-India elements with anti-India slogans written on the temple’s walls, located in the suburb of Mill Park. Patel, an onlooker, shared how he witnessed the vandalised walls of the temple when he visited the site.