The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in the Sacramento area of California was vandalized with anti-Hindu graffiti on the night of September 25, just days after a similar incident occurred at the BAPS Mandir in New York. The graffiti included phrases like “Hindus go back,” raising concerns within the local Hindu community, who have since vowed to stand united against hate.
“Less than 10 days after the desecration of the BAPS Mandir in New York, our Mandir in the Sacramento, CA area was vandalized last night with anti-Hindu hate messages: ‘Hindus go back!’ We stand united against hate with prayers for peace,” stated BAPS Public Affairs in a post on X.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Mather, near Rancho Cordova, where they discovered the graffiti and damage to water lines on the property.
Congressman Ami Bera, representing California’s 6th District, condemned the act on X, stating, “There is no place for religious bigotry and hatred in #SacramentoCounty. I strongly condemn this apparent act of vandalism in our community. We must all stand against intolerance and ensure that everyone, regardless of faith, feels safe and respected.”
The Hindu American Foundation thanked Bera for addressing the hate crime, noting in their post, “This vandalism is an anti-Hindu hate crime targeting a Hindu temple, conflating Hindus with the Government of India and telling them to ‘go home.'”
Earlier, on September 17, a similar act of vandalism targeted the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in New York. The Consulate General of India in New York had condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable,” and several U.S. lawmakers expressed their disapproval, demanding accountability from the authorities.
Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar also condemned the “hideous act,” emphasizing that such acts of “vandalism, bigotry, and hate” must be thoroughly investigated.