New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday urged the US administration to take stringent action against anti-Hindu violence, citing an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in the Chicago suburb of Aurora last week.
In a post on X, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal described the incident as “a serious warning for the United States, Europe, and the entire world”, alleging that attacks on Hindu individuals, temples and religious symbols in America are steadily increasing.
The remarks came after the arrest of 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis from Palatine on October 11 in connection with an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting at the temple in the Aurora area. The attack failed as his rifle jammed outside the temple.
“When will the US administration finally wake up to the relentless attacks on the Hindu community and its sacred places of worship in America? The dangerous attempt at a mass shooting targeting a Hindu temple near Chicago, the historic city associated with Swami Vivekananda, is a grave warning for the United States, Europe, and the entire world,” Bansal wrote.
“The steadily growing series of incidents targeting Hindu individuals, temples, religious symbols, and the Hindu community in America is deeply concerning,” he added.
Bansal alleged that the incident was not merely a case of vandalism or an ordinary attack but involved “a conspiracy for a planned mass slaughter, driven by rising racist hatred and a violent ideology directed against Hindus”.
He claimed that weapons and ammunition were recovered from the suspect and that the investigation had also reportedly uncovered material linked to racist and white supremacist ideology.
Bansal said every case involving an attack on a Hindu temple in America or an alleged conspiracy involving racist violence against Hindus demands an impartial investigation, accountability and effective action.
“The urgent need of the hour is for the US administration to wake up, for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to respond, and for the UN and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to come forward as well. The safety of Hindus must be ensured, and a policy of zero tolerance towards anti-Hindu violence must be implemented throughout America,” he said.
Referring to Swami Vivekananda’s message of universal harmony, Bansal said it is essential to translate that spirit into action.
He praised the Indian government’s response to the matter while criticising opposition parties in the country for their alleged silence over the incidents.
“The silence of the entire opposition political camp in India, even in the face of such grave incidents, is discriminatory and suspicious,” he said.
Bansal also listed several incidents of alleged vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples across the US since 2022.
These included the vandalism of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside Shri Tulsi Mandir in New York in August 2022, anti-India and pro-Khalistan slogans allegedly written on the property of a Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, California, in December 2023, and anti-Hindu and anti-India messages targeting BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York, in September 2024, among other incidents. PTI ADI NB
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