In a recent session of the Australian Parliament, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen spoke about the recent vandalisation of the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Rose Hill. The temple was sprayed with graffiti targeting its congregation, which led to widespread condemnation and support from politicians and community leaders.
Expressing his alarm about the incident Minister Bowen stated, “I was very concerned last Friday morning to receive text messages about an attack on the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Rose Hill. The graffiti is attacking that Mandir and attacking participants in that Mandir. This is not acceptable. It’s not Australian. It’s not on. We are not going to cop it. Every place of worship should be a place of peace and tolerance and understanding.”
Earlier on 6 May, Minister Bowen had condemned the Sydney BAPS Temple attack through his Twitter account. In his tweet he wrote: “Every place of worship should be a place of peace. The attack on @BAPS at Rose Hill yesterday was unacceptable and un-Australian. I called in this morning to let them know our whole community stands with them and against intolerance and hatred.”
He also expressed his support for the community and acknowledged the efforts of Dr Charlton for Parramatta, who assisted in removing the graffiti. The Minister stated, “This is terrible, and all our members express solidarity with that community. Dr Charlton for Parramatta was able to go. He got there before me and assisted in the removal of the graffiti.”
Chris Bowen also mentioned the ongoing construction of the BAPS Mandir in Kemps Creek, which is set to be the largest Hindu temple in Australia. He spoke about visiting the temple a few weeks ago and said, “The BAPS Mandir in Kemps Creek is well underway. This will be the biggest Hindu temple in Australia and, I think, one of the best in the world. I’m very honoured to host it, and it will be one of the best in the world. It’s a huge site, an old farm, in Kemps Creek, which is being developed. I was able to visit there a couple of weeks ago. See the progress. It is great news.”
The Minister’s words are a reflection of the government’s stance on promoting peace, tolerance, and understanding in Australian society. He expressed that every place of worship should be a safe haven and a source of comfort for its community members. His support for the community and condemnation of the attacks on Hindu temple sends a strong message to the perpetrators and reinforces society’s need for mutual respect and acceptance.
The Sydney BAPS Temple attack has sparked outrage in the community and has led to calls for greater protection of places of worship. The spate of recent attacks on Hindu temples in Melbourne and Brisbane have been condemned by community leaders, politicians, and religious groups who have voiced their support for the affected community. The government has also assured the community of its support and commitment to upholding the values of peace, tolerance, and understanding in Australian society.
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