Tom Suozzi Condemns Vandalism at BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in New York
Washington, DC [US], September 19: US Congressman Tom Suozzi from New York has strongly condemned the vandalism at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melville, New York. He emphasized that those responsible for hate crimes should be held accountable.
Rising Hate Crimes
Speaking in the US House of Representatives, Suozzi highlighted the increase in acts of vandalism, bigotry, and hate. He explained that Hindus greet people with ‘namaste’ to show respect and recognize the divinity in others.
Suozzi’s Speech
Suozzi said, “Hate has always been a part of human existence, but we see so many hate crimes today. Late Sunday night, vandals defaced the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir on Long Island with vile hate and bigotry against the Hindu community.”
He added, “We need to treat each other with more respect. Is it because of the inflammatory rhetoric we hear all the time? Is it because of the extremism? Is it because of the lack of accountability? What do we need to do to address this problem? Because hate is not the answer, love is the answer.”
Consulate General of India’s Response
The Consulate General of India in New York condemned the vandalism and urged US law enforcement to take prompt action. Suozzi called for accountability and emphasized the importance of educating people about love and respect.
Community Gathering
Suozzi participated in a gathering with the BAPS community, state officials, and local officials. He said, “We need to hold vandals and criminals accountable. We need law enforcement to apprehend these criminals, and prosecutors to prosecute them. In the long term, we need to do a much better job educating people about the importance of love and respect for other people.”
He concluded, “Love will always win out.”
Suozzi shared a video of his speech on social media, reiterating that hate is not the answer, but love is.
Consulate General’s Statement
The Consulate General of India in New York stated, “The vandalism of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, is unacceptable. The Consulate is in touch with the community and has raised the matter with US law enforcement authorities for prompt action against the perpetrators of this heinous act.”
Doubts Revealed
Tom Suozzi -: Tom Suozzi is a US Congressman, which means he is a member of the United States government who helps make laws.
Vandalism -: Vandalism means damaging or destroying someone else’s property on purpose. It’s like when someone breaks a window or writes on walls without permission.
BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir -: BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu temple where people go to pray and worship. BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, which is a religious organization.
New York -: New York is a big state in the United States of America. It has a famous city also called New York City.
US House of Representatives -: The US House of Representatives is one part of the US Congress where elected officials meet to discuss and make laws.
Consulate General of India -: The Consulate General of India is an office that helps Indian citizens in another country and works to keep good relations between India and that country.
Law enforcement -: Law enforcement means the police and other officials who make sure people follow the laws and catch those who break them.
Hate crimes -: Hate crimes are bad actions done to hurt people because of their race, religion, or other personal characteristics.
Bigotry -: Bigotry means having unfair and strong dislike for people who are different, like people of another race or religion.
