Less than 10 days after the desecration of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, our Mandir (Hindu place of worship) in Sacramento, California was desecrated and vandalized with hateful messages.
Our condemnation of hate remains resolute; our sadness has only deepened; and our prayers for all, including those with hate in their heart, have grown stronger.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento is home to a vibrant Hindu community engaged in numerous activities and projects to support the larger community. We are and shall remain an integral part of this community’s fabric.
BAPS is working with law enforcement authorities on this hate crime.
In response, our community gathered for a prayer ceremony calling for peace and unity and remembering His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj’s ideal of harmony and respect. The prayer was attended by California State Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen, Mayor of Elk Grove Bobbie Singh-Allen, Vice Mayor for City of Rancho Cordova Siri Pulipati, Police Chief for City of Rancho Cordova Matthew Tamayo, Public Information Officer for Sacramento County Sheriff’s office Amar Gandhi, Assistant City Manager for City of Rancho Cordova David Kwong, Community Prosecutor from Office of District Attorney Sacramento Rochelle Beardsley.
Representatives from community including Sacramento Zoroastrian Center’s Darius Captain and other Hindu organizations were also present to show their support.