India has expressed strong condemnation over the recent vandalism at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan temple in Sacramento, California, which took place on September 24.

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco addressed the incident in a post on X, stating, “We strongly deplore the act of vandalism at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The Consulate has contacted local authorities to ensure immediate action against those responsible.”

In a subsequent message, BAPS Public Affairs highlighted the growing concern, noting, “Less than ten days after the desecration of our temple in New York, our Sacramento Mandir was also attacked with hateful messages like ‘Hindus go back!’ We stand united against such hate and pray for peace.”

Radharaman Das, Vice President of the Kolkata International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), termed the vandalism “unfortunate.” He urged for strict measures against the perpetrators and voiced alarm over the increasing attacks on Hindu temples worldwide, particularly in the United States, where religious freedom is a core principle. “In a country like America, which promotes the right to practice religion, such incidents are deeply troubling,” Das commented.

The vandalism at the Sacramento temple involved graffiti with anti-Hindu sentiments and damage to water lines. The local Hindu community reacted strongly, pledging to unite against hatred. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the incident.

Ami Bera, the U.S. Representative for California's 6th District, condemned the act, declaring, "There is no room for religious bigotry and hatred in Sacramento County." The Hindu American Foundation echoed this sentiment, labeling the incident as “an anti-Hindu hate crime” and thanking Bera for his response.

Just days before this event, on September 17, the BAPS temple in Melville, New York, was vandalized with offensive graffiti, and similar acts of vandalism occurred at a BAPS temple in Edmonton, Canada, in July.

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