Authorities of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey have expressed concerns at the alleged act of vandalism carried in the premises of the temple on August 12, 2023 late night at 12.29 AM. They are urging Hindu Sikh community to maintain mutual respect, greater understanding, collaboration and unity within two communities.
According to the photos posted on the website and a public statement issued by the temple, “Last Saturday on 12th August, 2023, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, a Hindu Temple located on 8321 140 Street, Surrey BC, a longstanding symbol of Hindu faith and community, was unfortunately vandalized by individuals claiming affiliation with a Khalistani Group. The whole Hindu community, as well as non Hindu well-wishers of the temple, are deeply saddened and concerned by this act of intolerance.”
The news release says, “On 12th August, 2023, the temple’s surveillance cameras captured a couple of individuals (a male and a female with blue turban and blue mask) jumping and trespassing the Temple Premises, defacing the exterior of the temple with posters calling for Violence and Intimidation, leaving behind hateful messages and symbols.”
The posters carry words like “assassination” and hate messages against India.
The temple authorities said that local law enforcement is informed and is currently investigating the incident and they are cooperating fully with their efforts.
Satish Kumar, President of the temple, said, “We are profoundly saddened by the act of vandalism against our sacred place. For years, this Temple has been a beacon of hope, prayer and community for Hindus and non-Hindus alike. We want to remind everyone that the actions of a few do not represent the beliefs of the many. Just as we would not judge all Sikhs by the acts of a few, we urge that Hinduism is a religion of peace and love. We believe in the power of dialogue, understanding and compassion.”
“These acts are a clear result of the mindset of creating a wedge in the Hindu and Sikh community across Canada. More than 850,000 Hindus across many nations call Canada its home and we must unite our efforts to curb such hatred in our communities. We urge the members of the Hindu Sikh community to remain vigilant for such actions as they are rooted in deep hatred and intolerance. In times of such challenge, we must develop and maintain mutual respect, greater understanding, collaboration and unity within our communities,” said Vinay Sharma, General Secretary of the temple.
The management met on Sunday and decided to hold a community gathering at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15 at the mandir at 8321 140 Street.
