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Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Friday said that all incidents of attacks and desecration of temples and places of worship in the United States are immediately taken up with the US Government through diplomatic channels.
"In recent years, there have been several instances of Hindu temples being defaced with anti-India graffiti in the United States of America. All incidents of attack and desecration of temples and places of worship in the US are immediately taken up with the US Government through diplomatic channels," MoS Singh said in a written reply to a question in parliament. He further added that the respective temple management authorities and the community associations have also registered complaints with the local law enforcement authorities and have called for proper investigations, as well as stringent action against those responsible for these acts and for providing the places of worship with adequate safety and security arrangements. "The law enforcement authorities have conveyed that such cases are being investigated as hate crimes. Members of the US Congress have also urged the concerned agencies to come up with a broader strategy to counter hate crimes targeting Hindus in the United States," Singh further added. Meanwhile, there have been several instances of attacks on Hindus and Hindu temples in other countries like Bangladesh and Canada. The concerns over hate crimes against Hindus are not limited to the US. India has also expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh, particularly regarding the safety of minorities. Between August 2024 and February 2025, over 2,374 incidents were reported, but the police verified only 1,254 of them, with 98 per cent deemed "political in nature". India has repeatedly expressed its deep concern about extremism and the culture of violence and anti-India activities in Canada and has asked Canadian authorities to take action against these activities. In November 2024, an Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Canada's Brampton witnessed a "violent disruption" on Sunday in Brampton, near Toronto. The incident sparked widespread criticism in and outside Canada. (ANI)
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