US condemns all forms of religious violence, attacks on temples

The United States condemns any sort of violence and extremism, US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said. He said that religious pluralism is one the core values of the US and stressed that Washington condemns any movement that seeks to carry out acts with a different vision.

In response to a question regarding Khalistani elements threat to Hindus and attacks on Hindu Temples, Ned Price said, "We condemn any form of violence, we condemn the threat of violence, any form of violence, extremism. This is a country that has always had at its core key values, one of those is religious pluralism, tolerance for people of all faiths or no faith that is a principle that we uphold and respect. We condemn any individual or movement that seeks to carry out and acts with a different vision."

Earlier in January, a Hindu Temple in Brampton in Canada has been defaced with anti-India graffiti triggering outrage among the Indian community. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto condemned the vandalism at the Gauri Shankar Mandir stating that the act has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. The Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has condemned the vandalism and the Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

The consulate office in a statement said "We strongly condemn the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton, a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities."

(ANI)