The United States condemns any sort of violence and extremism, US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said. He said that religious pluralism is one the core values of the US and stressed that Washington condemns any movement that seeks to carry out acts with a different vision.
In response to a question regarding Khalistani elements threat to Hindus and attacks on Hindu Temples, Ned Price said, "We condemn any form of violence, we condemn the threat of violence, any form of violence, extremism. This is a country that has always had at its core key values, one of those is religious pluralism, tolerance for people of all faiths or no faith that is a principle that we uphold and respect. We condemn any individual or movement that seeks to carry out and acts with a different vision."
Earlier in January, a Hindu Temple in Brampton in Canada has been defaced with anti-India graffiti triggering outrage among the Indian community. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto on Monday (local time) condemned the vandalism at the Gauri Shankar Mandir stating that the act has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. The Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has condemned the vandalism and the Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.
The consulate office in a statement said "We strongly condemn the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton, a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities."
Meanwhile, several Hindu temples were vandalized in different parts of Australia allegedly by anti-India elements in January. On January 23, a Hindu Temple was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in Melbourne's Albert Park, The Australia Today reported.
The incident was reported days after Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Australia's Carrum Downs was vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti. The act came to notice on January 16 after temple devotees came for 'darshan' amid the three-day long "Thai Pongal" festival which was celebrated by Australia's Tamil Hindu community, The Australia Today reported.
A week before the above incident, on January 12, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Australia's Mill Park was smeared with anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti. The temple was vandalised by anti-India elements with anti-India slogans written on the temple's walls, located in the suburb of Mill Park, The Australia Today reported. Patel, an onlooker shared how he witnessed the vandalised walls of the temple when he visited the site.
( With inputs from ANI )
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