ISKCON Kolkata VP raises concern over attacks on temples in Australia, calls for arrest of culprits

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 24 (ANI): Radharaman Das, Vice President, ISKCON Kolkata, has called the rise in attacks on Hindu temples in Australia “very concerning.” His statement comes after a third Hindu temple was vandalised in Australia.

Radharaman Das said that no action of the police against culprits has emboldened the attackers. He called for immediate arrest of those responsible for the vandalism of Hindu temples. Das said, “After Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and UK, Hindus are not safe even in Australia. The growing attacks on Hindu temples in Australia is very concerning.” He further said, “In last 15 days, three temples were vandalised. If the police would have taken action and arrested those who vandalised first Hindu temples 15 days back, that could have deterred further attacks. But, attackers are emboldened by no action and now they are openly bragging about it on social media. We demand immediate arrest of culprits.”

A third Hindu temple was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in Melbourne’s Albert Park on Monday, days after Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs was vandalised, The Australia Today reported. The management of Melbourne’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple also known as the Hare Krishna Temple found the temple walls vandalised with anti-India graffiti in the early hours of Monday morning.

Speaking to The Australia Today, Bhakta Das, Director of Communication for ISKCON temple said that they were “shocked” by the disregard for respect for the place of worship and added that they have filed the complaint with Victoria Police. Earlier, the 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 is being celebrated by Australia’s Tamil Hindu community, as per the news report.

On January 12, BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in the Mill park area of Melbourne was vandalised by anti-India elements with anti-India slogans written on the walls of the temple, located in the suburb of Mill Park, The Australia Today reported. Patel, an onlooker who does not want to reveal his first name told The Australia Today, shared how he witnessed the vandalised walls of the temple when he visited the site on Thursday.