Shree Swaminarayan Temple Vandalized in Racial Attack: A Community in Shock

The Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Melbourne's eastern suburb of Boronia has been vandalized with hateful racial slurs, as reported by Australia Today. The red-painted graffiti demanded, 'Go Home Brown C**t,' targeting a place regarded as a sanctuary of peace and devotion.

Two nearby Asian-run restaurants also became targets of the same racial defacement. Makrand Bhagwat, President of the Hindu Council of Australia's Victoria chapter, described the vandalism as a profound shock, emphasizing the temple's role in fostering community and cultural unity among Melbourne's Indian diaspora.

While Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan has yet to publicly condemn the vandalism, her office privately communicated dismay to the temple management. In her remarks, Allan condemned the incident as an act of hate designed to intimidate and isolate, affirming government support. Victoria Police are investigating the incidents as linked, encompassing similar vandalism across four sites in Boronia, ensuring that such acts of hate have no place in society.

(With inputs from agencies.)