Hindu temple and Asian eateries defaced with hate graffiti in Australia amid rising racial tensions

Melbourne: A Hindu temple and two Asian restaurants in Melbourne have been defaced with hate-filled graffiti, just a day after the brutal assault of an Indian student in Adelaide triggered widespread outrage over growing racial hostility in Australia.

According to The Australia Today, the Swaminarayan Temple in Melbourne’s Boronia suburb was targeted with offensive graffiti, including an image of Adolf Hitler and the message “Go Home Brown C**T” spray-painted on its premises. The same slur was found scrawled on the walls of two nearby Asian eateries, fueling concerns over a spike in racially motivated attacks.

Makrand Bhagwat, president of the Hindu Council of Australia’s Victoria chapter, strongly condemned the incident. “Our temple is meant to be a sanctuary of peace, devotion and unity. To have it targeted in this way feels like an attack on our identity, our right to worship and freedom of religion,” he told the media.

Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan described the graffiti as “hateful and racist”, and confirmed that an immediate investigation had been launched. In a letter to the temple management, she said, “It wasn't just vandalism, but a deliberate act of hate, designed to intimidate, isolate and spread fear.”

The graffiti incident closely follows another troubling development in Adelaide, where 23-year-old Indian student Charanpreet Singh was assaulted in what is being probed as a racially motivated attack.

Singh, who was with his wife at the time, said the altercation began as a parking dispute before a group of men surrounded his vehicle, hurled racial abuse, and punched him repeatedly. Singh sustained facial fractures and is currently hospitalized. One 20-year-old has been arrested in connection with the attack.

Footage of the assault has gone viral on social media, showing the group attacking Singh with what appeared to be metal knuckles while shouting slurs.

Speaking from his hospital bed to 9News, Singh described the attack as a hate crime. “You can change anything in your body, but you can’t change the colours,” he said.

The two incidents have intensified concerns within Australia's South Asian communities about rising racial intolerance and targeted violence.