BAPS Hindu Temple In California Vandalized With Anti-India Graffiti

Chino Hills, 9th March 2025: A BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, one of the largest Hindu temples in Chino Hills, California, was desecrated with anti-India messages on Saturday. The incident occurred just days before a planned ‘Khalistan referendum’ event in Los Angeles. The temple walls were defaced with inflammatory graffiti, including phrases like “Hindus go back,” causing distress among the local Hindu community. This act of vandalism is part of a series of similar incidents targeting Hindu temples across the United States in recent years.

The BAPS Public Affairs office responded to the incident on social media, stating, “In the face of another Mandir desecration, this time in Chino Hills, CA, the Hindu community stands steadfast against hate. Together with the community in Chino Hills and Southern California, we will never let hate take root. Our common humanity and faith will ensure that peace and compassion prevail”.

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a grassroots advocacy organization, also condemned the attack. They highlighted the ongoing issue of anti-Hindu bias, stating, “It’s just another day in a world where media and academics will insist there is no anti-Hindu hate and that Hinduphobia is just a construct of our imagination”.

This incident follows a pattern of similar attacks on Hindu temples in the United States. In September 2024, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, was vandalized, less than two weeks after a similar incident at a BAPS Mandir in New York.

The Hindu American Foundation has called for an FBI investigation into the incident. As of now, the Chino Hills Police Department has not issued an official statement regarding the vandalism.

The timing of this attack, coming just before a scheduled ‘Khalistan referendum’ in Los Angeles, has raised concerns among Hindu community leaders. They are urging authorities to take swift action against such acts of vandalism and emphasizing the need for increased security and awareness regarding religious intolerance.

This latest incident has once again brought to the forefront the issue of Hinduphobia and the targeting of Hindu places of worship in the United States. The Hindu community has expressed its determination to stand united against such acts of hate, reaffirming their commitment to peace and unity in the face of adversity.