Melbourne: A newly built Sikh Gurdwara hasbecome target of anti-islamic slurs after it was vandalisedand painted with obscene messages in Australia’s Perth city.
The multi-million dollar Gurdwara in Bennett Springs waspainted with the words like “Aussie pride” and “go home”, ABC reported. Security cameras of the Gurdwara were also damaged.
“We are from India, particularly from Punjab, we have gotno relation with any other religion. We are Sikhs and ourreligion is totally different from any other religion,” saidthe pastor Satjit Singh.
He said the vandalism was very upsetting and the damagecould cost up to USD 50,000 to repair.
I’m ashamed because I’m also a citizen and someone who isa citizen here has done it, he said.
“It hurts me, and I believe it’s insulting to theAustralian community and the people.”The treasurer of the Gurdwara, Aman Deep Singh, said itwas very hurtful.
“Whoever has done this, he has done a shameful act, andalso, please get your knowledge right,” Aman Deep said.
“Make the difference between Arabs and Sikhs and above allwe all are here, we have left our businesses, jobs. They havedone so much damage. They have not actually just done thedamage to this temple, they have done the damage to the wholecountry,” he said.
He said these “shameful acts” damaged the progress of thecountry.
Labor MP Margaret Quirk said the racial slurs showed”complete ignorance”.
“Most of the people that worship in this temple are infact Australian citizens and this of all weeks; it’sparticularly shocking,” she said.
Sikh soldiers were beside Aussie soldiers at Gallipoli andso this week of course we remember that it’s the centenary ofour soldiers going to Gallipoli and we serve next to manysoldiers who were of the Sikh religion, she said.
“It would be no less acceptable if this was done on amosque but it does show the calibre of the people that aredoing this graffiti. I think racially and religiouslymotivated vilification and graffiti should be stamped onimmediately,” she said.
“On behalf of the West Australian community I certainlywant to apologise to my friends in the Sikh community thatthey have to put up with this rubbish,” she added.
The incident has occured few days after two Perth mosquesand an Islamic school were vandalised and had been paintedwith slogans including “ban Islam”.
