US lawmaker condemns desecration of BAPS Temple in New York, calls for action against vandals

Washington: US lawmaker from New York, Tom Suozzi, has condemned the desecration of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New York’s Melville with messages of hatred and asserted that vandals and criminals, who commit hate crimes must be held responsible.

Tom Suozzi, a U.S. Congressman representing New York’s third Congressional District, addressed the desecration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville in the U.S. House of Representatives. He highlighted the rise in acts of vandalism, bigotry, and hate. Suozzi also explained that Hindus greet others with a “namaste,” joining their hands together as a sign of respect.

“I suppose all of us know that hate has always been a component of human existence, but we see so many hate crimes for the time being. Late Sunday night, vandals defaced the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on Long Island with vile hate and bigotry against the Hindu community. I’ve seen Hindus persistently and various you may have as well as, after they place their hands together, they bow and that they're saying namaste,” Suozzi was once quoted as saying by news agency ANI in his speech on the U. S. House of Representatives.

US lawmaker from New York, Tom Suozzi, “When they try this, they’re recognising the divinity in the person in front of them. They’re showing their respect for the person in front of them. We actually recognise that with all of our fellow human beings that were all special made in God’s image and treat every other with more respect. What’s going down that we see these acts of vandalism and bigotry and hate going down so often? Is it as a results of the of the inflammatory rhetoric we hear forever? Is it as a results of the of the extremism? Is it as a results of the of the dearth of accountability? What is going to we do to address this problem? Because hate is now not the reply, love is the reply.”

Suozzi’s remarks followed the Consulate General of India’s condemnation of the vandalism on the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, calling it “unacceptable.” The Consulate General in New York has brought the issue to the eye of U.S. law enforcement and urged them to take swift action against those responsible for the act.

Sharing a post on X(formally Twitter), the Consulate General of India in New York on Monday wrote, “The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable. The Consulate @IndiainNewYork is involved with the community and has raised the matter with U.S. law enforcement authorities for prompt action against the perpetrators of this heinous act.”

The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable ; The Consulate @IndiainNewYork is involved with the community and has raised the matter with U.S. law enforcement authorities for prompt action against the perpetrators of this heinous act.…

— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) September sixteen, 2024

Tom Suozzi often also is termed for holding people who commit hate crimes responsible. He spoke about his participation in a gathering on Monday with the BAPS community, as well as to state and native officials. “Within the short term, we hold vandals and criminals and those that commit hate crimes responsible. We need law enforcement to work to apprehend these criminals, and we want prosecutors to prosecute them to hold them responsible because people can’t just say whatever they need, no matter the impact it has on other human beings. And in the long time, we do a so much better job educating people concerning the importance of love and of respect for people,”  Suozzi stated, ANI reported.

He stated, “On Monday. I stood in solidarity with the BAPS community gathering with state and native officials, people from different religions, Democrats and Republicans from the federal, state and native level. We spoke out for the values that the people on the BAPS community stand for that Long Islanders stand for, that New Yorkers stand for, and that Americans stand for. Let’s keep in mind the importance of mutual respect and love and the role they play here in our usa and in our world. Love will always win out.”

This past weekend, the @BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville was once desecrated with hateful graffiti. This morning, I spoke on the House floor concerning the rise in incidents of vandalism, bigotry, and hate on Long Island, in New York, and across our usa. Hate is now not the… %twitter.com/PrydP8v0QD

— Tom Suozzi (@RepTomSuozzi) September 18, 2024

Taking to X(up to now Twitter), Souzzi wrote,”This past weekend, the @BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville was once desecrated with hateful graffiti. This morning, I spoke on the House floor concerning the rise in incidents of vandalism, bigotry, and hate on Long Island, in New York, and across our usa. Hate is now not the reply. Love is the reply. Namaste.”