The recent desecration of a well-known Hindu temple in Southern California with anti-Hindu and anti-Indian government graffiti has raised concerns among South Asian groups, following a series of similar incidents over the past year.
Devotees who arrived early on March 8 at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills were shocked to find the phrase “Hindustan Murdabad” scrawled across a pink stone sign bearing the temple’s name, according to temple volunteer Mehul Patel. The phrase translates to “death to” or “down with” Hindus and India.
Additionally, expletive-filled graffiti targeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was spray-painted on an exterior brick wall and a nearby sidewalk, Patel said. Officials from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department have classified the vandalism as a hate crime, though no suspects have been identified yet.
Patel noted that the incident instilled fear in the local community, with its impact resonating as far as India. Major Indian news outlets covered the story, and India’s External Affairs Ministry strongly condemned the act.
“We denounce such deplorable actions in the strongest possible terms,” said ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “We urge local law enforcement to take strict measures against the perpetrators and to ensure proper security for places of worship.”
The Chino Hills temple, which attracts nearly 1,000 visitors daily and sees thousands gathering for Diwali and other temple festivals, has long been a central place of worship for the Hindu community.
“Despite having security measures in place, an incident like this makes you rethink your safety—especially when you have young children,” Patel said.
The temple, the largest Hindu place of worship in California, is situated on a 20-acre property along a freeway. It features grand arches and domes carved from pink sandstone, while its interiors are adorned with white Italian marble. In October 2023, the organization completed the construction of the largest Hindu temple outside India in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The Swaminarayan sect, a branch of Hinduism, oversees more than 1,300 temples and 5,000 centers worldwide, according to its website.
This is not the first time the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) has faced acts of vandalism. On September 16, 2023, their temple in Melville, New York, was defaced with similar graffiti. Just over a week later, their temple near Sacramento was targeted, and another incident occurred at the Newark, California, temple in December 2023. These acts of vandalism are also being investigated as hate crimes.
A common element in these attacks has been the criticism of Modi, under whom Hindu nationalism has gained prominence in India. Other Hindu temples not affiliated with BAPS have also been vandalized in recent months.
In January 2024, Vijay’s Sherawali Temple in Hayward, California—a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Durga and operated by a Fijian immigrant family—was defaced with graffiti labeling Modi a “terrorist” and displaying the phrase “Khalistan Zindabad,” meaning “Long live Khalistan.”
The term Khalistan refers to a proposed independent state that Sikh separatists seek to establish in India’s Punjab region, the birthplace of Sikhism. A violent Khalistani insurgency was suppressed by the Indian government in 1984, and India has officially classified the movement as a terrorist organization. Currently, activists in the Sikh diaspora are organizing a nonbinding referendum across the United States on the creation of Khalistan, with voting scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on March 23.
Tensions between India and Canada intensified in the summer of 2023 following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that Indian authorities were involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was fatally shot outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia.
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that an Indian government official had allegedly plotted the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist leader based in New York who has been leading the Khalistan referendum movement. Additionally, in August 2023, the FBI launched an investigation into a drive-by shooting in Yolo County, California, that targeted Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a close associate of Nijjar.
The vandalism of Hindu temples in Northern California last year was condemned by local Sikh organizations. Within the Sikh community, both in India and abroad, there are divisions regarding support for Khalistan.
Following the recent incident in Chino Hills, the Coalition of Hindus of North America issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting a possible link between the graffiti and the upcoming Khalistan referendum in Los Angeles. Pushpita Prasad, a spokesperson for the group, emphasized that regardless of who is responsible, repeated attacks on Hindu places of worship must be addressed.
“This ongoing assault on the right of Hindus to worship in peace is unacceptable,” Prasad stated.
She expressed concern over the psychological impact of such incidents. “A temple is a place where people seek solace. If that very place is under attack, where does one find peace?”
Prasad also called for a broader discussion on the factors driving these attacks and urged the recognition of anti-Hindu hate crimes. She advocated for equal protection of Hindu places of worship.
Meanwhile, another South Asian advocacy group warned against prematurely attributing blame before investigations conclude. Making assumptions without evidence can deepen community divisions, said Prachi Patankar, a board member of the interfaith organization Savera Coalition.
Her group represents Indian Americans from diverse backgrounds, including Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Dalits (historically marginalized groups formerly labeled as “untouchables”), and those who do not affiliate with any religion.
“Such incidents should never be used to scapegoat other minority religious communities, including Sikhs,” Patankar said. “It can lead to unnecessary criminalization and repression of an entire community.”
Patel stressed the importance of understanding that Hindus are not a monolithic group. He pointed out that the Chino Hills temple operates as a nonprofit religious institution and does not represent any particular government, leader, or nation.
“We are an American Hindu temple,” Patel said. “Many Indian Americans worship here, but we also have members from non-Indian backgrounds who practice Hinduism.”
Surveillance footage captured two individuals appearing to survey the area before defacing the property. Patel hopes the video will aid law enforcement in identifying and apprehending those responsible.
On March 9, members of the temple gathered outside their place of worship for a special prayer session led by a priest, who recited the “Shanthi Path,” a Hindu blessing for peace.
“We prayed not just for our community but also for those who committed this act,” Patel said. “We believe in free expression, but messages should be conveyed peacefully, without resorting to hate.”