Bathinda (Punjab):An ancient temple at Mysarkhana village was defaced with Karnataka separatist slogans near Maur Mandi town of Bathinda. The Sikhs for Justice, a Khalistani separatist outfit has taken the responsibility for filming and releasing the video. This is the native village of AAP MLA Sukhbir Singh Maisarkhana.
Last year the Punjab Police nabbed three persons for allegedly writing Khalistan slogans on the wall of Kali Devi temple in Sangur. This was ahead of the June 23 parliamentary bypoll in Sangrur, just a day before AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's visit to the parliamentary constituency.
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Earlier in March Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple, a prominent Hindu temple in Brisbane was attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters. This was the fourth incident of vandalism against Hindu temples in the last two months. On January 23, the walls of the ISCKON temple in Melbourne's Albert Park were vandalised with graffiti Hindustan Murdabad. On January 16, the Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs, Victoria, was vandalised as well. On January 12, the Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne was defaced with anti-India graffiti.
India has repeatedly condemned the vandalism against the Hindu temples in Australia and has raised the issue with the Australian government. During his visit to Australia last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and emphasised the need for vigilance against "radical activities" targeting the Indian community in Australia in the wake of vandalism of Hindu temples in the country by Khalistani supporters.
