CHINO HILLS, Calif. — The recent vandalism of a significant Hindu temple in Southern California has raised alarm within South Asian communities following a series of similar events over the past year. On March 8, devotees at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills discovered derogatory graffiti with messages such as “Hindustan Murdabad,” signaling animosity toward Hindus and the Indian government. Mehul Patel, a volunteer, revealed that inflammatory statements targeting India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also scrawled on the temple’s exterior walls.
This incident is being treated as a hate crime by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office, although no suspects have been identified. Patel shared that such hostility has unsettled the community, with its reverberations reaching India, where the vandalism was widely reported. India’s External Affairs ministry strongly condemned the acts, urging local authorities to take decisive action and ensure the protection of places of worship.
The temple, a significant cultural hub with daily visits from nearly 1,000 individuals and larger gatherings during festivals like Diwali, reflects a long history of BAPS temples being targeted. Others across the U.S., including those in New York and California, have similarly suffered, underscoring a pattern linked to political and religious tensions.
A common element in these attacks is criticism of Modi, under whose leadership Hindu nationalism has grown in India. Separate instances have also targeted non-BAPS Hindu temples, such as the Sherawali Temple in Hayward, California, defaced with calls for a Khalistan – a proposed Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab region.
This ongoing unrest ties into broader geopolitical dynamics, with recent tensions between India and Canada over accusations of government-sponsored actions against Sikh separatists abroad, deepening global divisions within South Asian diaspora communities.
The incident in Southern California led the Coalition of Hindus of North America to highlight potential connections to the pro-Khalistan referendum in Los Angeles. Pushpita Prasad, representing the coalition, emphasized the need for discussions around anti-Hindu sentiments and ensuring equal protection for Hindu worship.
Other groups caution against hastily assigning blame, stressing that assumptions can exacerbate divides within minority communities. Prachi Patankar of the Savera Coalition, representing diverse South Asian religious backgrounds, warned against further stigmatizing Sikh communities without conclusive evidence.
Patel reiterated the organization’s non-affiliation with any government or political agenda, noting the temple’s inclusive congregation that extends beyond Indian-American worshipers. He expressed hope that surveillance footage showing suspects could aid in capturing the vandals.
In response, the congregation convened on March 9 for a peace prayer, with a priest invoking the “Shanthi Path” to seek tranquility for both the community and the perpetrators. Patel affirmed the belief in free expression, advocating for peaceful channels to convey dissent without resorting to hate.
The temple’s defacement reflects a growing need to address underlying tensions within multicultural societies while ensuring the sanctity of places of worship is preserved.
