The walls of a well known Swaminarayan temple in Melbourne's northern suburbs were painted with "Hindustan Murdabad" meaning "down with India".
Victoria Police confirmed that an incident of graffiti in Mill Park was reported on 12 January.
"Police have been told graffiti was written on the walls and fence of a building on Heaths Road in the early hours of the morning," the Victoria Police spokesperson told SBS Hindi.
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"An investigation into the incident is ongoing," the spokesperson said, adding that acts of vandalism are an offence in the state.
In response to the incident,
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha issued a statement calling out the perpetrators as 'anti-social elements'.
"We are deeply saddened by the anti-India graffiti at the gates of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Mill Park, Melbourne, Australia by anti-social elements," the statement said.
People praying at a Temple (Representative image). Credit: Andy Jacobsohn/AP/AAP Image
The organisation further thanked the appropriate authorities, including Australian and Indian government and local community organisations.
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There has been widespread condemnation of the incident from community organisations and Australian politicians.
In a Facebook post, Lily D'Ambrosio, Mill Park's Member of Parliament, expressed her concern over the incident.
Mill Park's Member of Parliament Lily D’Ambrosio. Source: AAP / DIEGO FEDELE/AAPIMAGE
"I have had the honour of visiting on many occasions and hope that the appropriate authorities can identify those responsible and bring them to account. There is no place in our community for such attacks," she wrote.
The Liberal party's Jason Wood also condemned the attack and called it an 'outrageous racial attack on a peaceful religious place of worship'.
Liberal party member Jason Wood (L). Credit: Jason Wood's facebook page
Hindu Council of Australia's Makrand Bhagwat has called on the federal and state governments to take stern action against the perpetrators and ensure communal harmony in multicultural Australia.
Mr Bhagwat claimed that the graffiti represented clear vilification of the Hindu community.
"This behaviour incites or encourages hatred, serious contempt, reversion, or severe ridicule against the peaceful Hindu community," he said.
Vedic Global, another Hindu organisation, also sought stern action from the government.
"Such hate crimes by divisive anti-social extremists against the Sanatani Hindu community threaten to disrupt peace in our society.and raise questions about whether enough is being done by the respective governments to address the alarming rise in anti-Hindu attacks, vandalism and terrorist activities," it said.
