Extremists desecrate BAPS Mandir in New York
Melville, New York, United States 
15 September, 2024
Case Summary
Extremists vandalized the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York. The temple was desecrated with hateful slogans like "Fuck Modi," "Modi is Terrorist," and "Hindustan Murdabad." The vandals used a derogatory phrase by separating "Hindu" and "stan," implying offensive content against Hindus. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha condemned the act and expressed prayers for the perpetrators to overcome their hatred. The temple authorities immediately contacted local law enforcement and cooperated fully with the investigation, treating the incident as a hate crime. The Consulate General of India in New York also condemned the vandalism, calling it unacceptable. They reassured the community that they were in touch with U.S. authorities to ensure swift action against the culprits.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the hate tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious symbols and under this the sub-category chosen is- Attack on Temples. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, the perpetrators defaced a Hindu temple. They also used a derogatory phrase by separating "Hindu" and "stan," implying offensive content against Hindus. While it can be said that since the slogans were against the country and its Prime Minister in particular, the crime should not be documented in the Hindu hate tracker. However, the truth remains that the attack on Hindu temples is in itself reflective of the hostility these vandals nurture against Hindus. In this case, the perpetrators defaced a Hindu temple with anti-Modi slogans as well. It can be said that since the slogans were against India's Prime Minister in particular, the crime should not be documented as a religiously motivated hate crime. However, the truth remains that the attack on Hindu temples is in itself reflective of the hostility the perpetrators nurture against Hindus. Let us assume that the anti-Modi message was scrawled on a street wall. That, while still reflective of the criminal mentality of the perpetrators, cannot necessarily be deemed an anti-Hindu hate crime in and of itself. Now, let us assume that the temple was desecrated with a graffiti which did not mention PM Modi at all, but was a generic message. the very fact that the graffiti was made on a Temple wall makes the crime a religiously motivated hate crime since it is the desecration of a place of worship, regardless of the nature of the message the temple is being desecrated with. For that reason, this case is being documented as a religiously motivated hate crime. It is important to mention here that though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed out of hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
N/A
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
