@India-West Staff Reporter
MELVILLE, NY – The BAPS Swaminarayan Temple officials on September 16, said they were saddened that we must once again appeal for peace in the face of hate and intolerance.”
The previous night, the temple was hit by hate-filled graffiti that was painted on the driveway and on the temple sign. The perpetrator vandalized the property with derogatory anti-Modi and anti-India messages.
The incident has prompted a hate crime investigation by the Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit.
The crime has drawn greater urgency as it comes days ahead of the September 22 gathering that PM Narendra Modi is slated to address at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which is nearby.
“Peace, respect, and harmony for all regardless of background or faith are the bedrock of religious freedom in the United States,” the temple said, adding for all its followers, “We also offer our deepest prayers for those who perpetrated this crime to be released of their hatred and to see our common humanity.”
The temple stands as a beacon of peace, harmony, equality, selfless service, and universal Hindu values, and it said, “Upon learning of the hateful vandalism, the local authorities were called, and BAPS is working fully with the authorities to support their investigation into this hate crime.”
On September 16 its call for prayers for peace and unity was supported by a slew local, state and federal leaders representing Long Island: including U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Deputy New York State Assembly Speaker Phil Ramos, New York State Senator Mario Mattera, New York State Assemblyman Keith Brown, New York State Assemblyman Steve Stern, Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin, Suffolk County Deputy Under Sheriff Keith Taylor, Suffolk County Police Precinct Supervisor William Scrima, Huntington Township Police Inspector Kevin Williams, Huntington Township Superintendent Andre Sorrentino, Huntington Township Supervisor Ed Smyth, Huntington Township Clerk Andrew Raia, Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode, North Hempstead Town Clerk Ragini Shrivastava, Babylon Township Councilman Dwayne Gregory and Rod Calarco, Representative of the Governor of New York.
Also at the gathering were people from civil society including NAACP President Tracey Edwards, and interfaith leaders: Rabbi Susie Moskowitz from Temple Beth Torah, Rabbi Elizabeth Zeller from Temple Chaverim, Pastor Tom Johnson from St. Lutheran Church and Hassan Ahmed of Masjid Darul Quran as well as a representatives from American Jewish Committee. Various Hindu temples in the area also were present to show their support.
The Consulate General of India in New York condemning the incident said, “The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable.” The Consulate added that they are in contact with the community and have raised the matter with law enforcement.
