CANBERRA– A Hindu temple in Melbourne has been defaced with racist graffiti in what authorities are calling part of a series of linked hate crimes in Victoria, Australia. The Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Boronia was targeted with offensive slurs such as “Go Home” and other derogatory remarks referencing skin color, sparking widespread concern and condemnation.
According to reports, the same hateful graffiti was found on the walls of two nearby Asian-owned restaurants, prompting Victoria Police to investigate the incidents as connected. “Police are investigating following reports of graffiti in Bayswater and Boronia on July 21,” police said in a statement quoted by The Australia Today. “It is understood graffiti was spray-painted on the front of a healing centre on Mountain Highway, followed by vandalism at the temple and two restaurants on Boronia Road.”
Makrand Bhagwat, President of the Hindu Council of Australia’s Victoria chapter, expressed deep sorrow over the temple defacement. “Seeing it vandalised with hateful words was heartbreaking for volunteers and worshippers alike,” he said. “Our temple is meant to be a sanctuary of peace, devotion and unity.”
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan strongly condemned the incident, calling it “hateful, racist and deeply disturbing.” In a statement, she said, “It wasn’t just vandalism — it was a deliberate act of hate, designed to intimidate, isolate, and spread fear. It was an attack on your right to feel safe and to belong, and on the values that bind us together.”
“No community should ever have to endure something like this,” she added, emphasizing that the Hindu community’s culture and faith are valued contributions to Victoria’s future.
In a separate but similarly troubling incident, a 23-year-old Indian student, Charanpreet Singh, was violently assaulted in a racially motivated attack in Adelaide on July 23. Singh, who was with his wife at the time, was attacked by a group of five men wielding sharp objects. A video of the assault circulated online, showing the attackers shouting racial slurs as they beat him.
These incidents follow a disturbing pattern of rising hate crimes and racially charged attacks across Australia, with several previous cases involving vandalism of Hindu temples and targeting of Indian-origin individuals. Community leaders and advocacy groups are calling for urgent action to address what they describe as a surge in racially motivated violence. (Source: IANS)
