US: Miscreants vandalize Hindu temple in Kentucky
Kentucky, Feb 1 (IBNS): A Hindu Temple was vandalized by unknown people in the midwestern US state of Kentucky this week, officials said.
The miscreants reportedly sprayed black paint on the deity and left a knife stabbed into a chair in the main hall at the Swaminarayan Temple in the Louisville city.
The incident occurred between Sunday night and Tuesday morning.
As per Insider Louisville newspaper report, at some point between Sunday night and Tuesday morning, officials said, one or more vandals broke into the Swaminarayan Temple in Buechel and spray painted vulgar insults directed at foreigners and crosses with references to Jesus.
According to reports, authorities are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Reacting to the incident, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted: "Sometime between the end of services at the Swaminarayan Temple on Bardstown Road on Sunday and the time a repairman arrived on Tuesday morning, vandals broke into a window and vandalized spots throughout the building."
Sometime between the end of services at the Swaminarayan Temple on Bardstown Road on Sunday and the time a repairman arrived on Tuesday morning, vandals broke into a window and vandalized spots throughout the building.
— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) January 30, 2019
He said: "Louisville is a welcoming, compassionate city. Anytime we see hatred or bigotry we will stand against it. The cowards who did this have only given our community more fuel and determination to embrace compassion, understanding, and each other."
Louisville is a welcoming, compassionate city. Anytime we see hatred or bigotry we will stand against it. The cowards who did this have only given our community more fuel and determination to embrace compassion, understanding, and each other.
— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) January 30, 2019
State Rep. Nima Kulkarni, who was elected in November as the first Indian American in the history of the Kentucky General Assembly, was quoted as saying by Insider Louisville: "I know our community is stronger than this, and I ask all of our community to show up and stand up against these acts on Saturday.”
Raj Patel of the Swaminarayan Temple told the newspaper: "We come here to worship..We should not have to turn our backs to see who is behind us, but we should be happy to come here and worship in peace.”
Image Credit: Youtube Grab
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