South Queens, NY – In an incredible show of strength and solidarity for the Hindu-American community, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-AD 38), the first Hindu-American elected to New York State Office, convened Mayor Eric Adams and leaders from around the city and country at the Shri Tulsi Mandir, a Hindu temple in South Richmond Hill whose statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized twice this month. A group of vandals toppled the statue on August 3, followed by another group destroying the statue with a sledgehammer and graffitiing the area with obscene names on August 16.

The incidents, both of which are being investigated as hate crimes, come at a time of rising hatred directed at Asian-Americans– including Hindu– worldwide. A recent study by Rutgers University found a dramatic increase in anti-Hindu slurs and disinformation on social media. This also follows the vandalism of Union Square’s Mahatma Gandhi statue earlier this year and desecration of Gandhi statutes around the world.

During the event, Assemblywoman Rajkumar and Mayor Adams brought together the entire community to condemn the incidents and pledged to address anti-Hindu hate crimes. The Mayor vowed to give his full support to the Hindu-American community, saying he would marshall all the resources at his disposal to locate and arrest the perpetrators. Assemblywoman Rajkumar outlined her plan to address hate crimes directed at Hindu and South Asian-Americans. This includes legislation she passed this year to create the first ever State level Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission to develop policies to end anti-Asian hate crimes.

Also speaking at the press conference were leaders from across the city: Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Coalition of Hindus of North America President Nikunj Trivedi, and Richmond Hill community leader Romeo Hitllal.

The event is available in its entirety at youtu.be/6vBcwPkDaGQ.

Mayor Adams said: “Thank you so much Assemblymember for just being a real partner as we fight to not only remove hate but to create an environment where hate will not fester and grow…And we have a dual role: of course the role of the police department...We are investigating these acts of violence. We are ensuring that the person who’s responsible be brought to justice…[But] there’s another road. There’s a road that goes far beyond the law enforcement arm. The goal is not only responding to hate but preventing hate…We’re going to zero in on our classes. We are going to encourage you to participate in our ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ one hundred dinners across the city…[people] all coming from a different background, talking to each other, sharing who we are, why we do what we do.”

Assemblywoman Rajkumar said: “Since the targeting of the Gandhi statue and the Hindu Temple, I have received an outpouring of support not just in Queens, but from people all around the world. I have spoken with government leaders across the country. All are committed to re-doubling our efforts to combat anti-Hindu hate. We always knew that defeating hate would not be accomplished in one day, one week, or even one year.We are committed to this fight for the long term, and will use the Hindu principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (soul force) that guided Gandhi himself and later the great American civil rights hero Martin Luther King, Jr.”

She added: “Gandhi said, ‘Hatred can be overcome only by love.’ With the support we have received all around Queens, the City, the Country, and the world, I am more optimistic than ever that we will succeed in defeating these forces of hate.”

Shri Tulsi Mandir founder Pandit Lakhram Maharaj said: “We are all so proud that Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar is the first Hindu American in New York State Office, and we are blessed that she brings the whole community together to take action at this challenging moment in time for the Hindu-American community. Our statue of Mohandas Gandhi represented our Hindu values of love, respect, and peace. The statue may be gone, but the values it embodied will endure forever, and they must guide us as we respond to this incident. What we want is not revenge against the perpetrators, but mutual understanding; not punishment, but healing. We are grateful to have Assemblywoman Rajkumar on our side as we embark on this healing process.”

Congressman Gregory Meeks said: “I condemn the vile desecration of the Mohandas Gandhi statue at the Tulsi Mandir. Acts of hate have no place in our community and nation and the perpetrators need to be held accountable. Let this moment stand as a testament to our ability to unite and strive for peace in our neighborhoods throughout Southeast Queens. I am committed to work with Assemblywoman Rajkumar and leaders here, as well as, my colleagues in Washington, D.C. to fight against the scourge of hatred and intolerance permeating our communities. We cannot stand idly by and let dangerous rhetoric and actions inspire fear, but we can come together to support each other in this tragic moment.”

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr. said: “Hate has no place in Queens, and hateful acts like the disgraceful vandalism that took place at the Shri Tulsi Mandir will not be tolerated here. Queens is called ‘The World’s Borough’ because we respect the many different cultures of our residents. So when an act of hate is committed against one group, our entire borough stands together as one community in denouncing the hate. I join with Assemblywoman Rajkumar and my fellow elected officials and community leaders in calling on whoever perpetrated this recent vandalism to be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said: "I'm horrified that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized again outside of a Hindu temple in my district. Hate has no place in our community, Queens, or New York City. I join my colleagues, community, and faith leaders to unequivocally denounce these troubling acts of hate. As a city, we must root out hate with love and acceptance. The Council will continue to invest in preventing hate crimes and supporting the communities, like mine, that too often experience it. We will continue working together in unity for the safer communities we all want."

State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. said: “The vandalism that demolished a Mahatma Gandhi statue outside the Tulsi Mandir in South Richmond Hill is totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. Regardless of your background or faith, whenever a place of worship is vandalized it should be considered not only a crime against that specific site, but against the community as a whole. We should not, cannot and will not stand silent, while racist criminals destroy private property and write discriminatory and hateful words on the property and street. Just last week, I stood with community and religious leaders, along with my colleagues in government, in front of the Tulsi Mandir because of it being victimized by a prior act of vandalism. It was then that I spoke of the need for respect for others and to fight against discrimination, as we live in the most diverse communities in the world. I will remain vigilant in my message and work towards eliminating hate crimes and violence in our community. My office and I will look to continue our cooperative efforts with the NYPD and other investigators to ensure that these criminals are caught and justice is served.”

State Senator Leroy Comrie said: “Hate crimes affect multiple communities. That’s why, across our shared diaspora, it is critical to stand united against those who perpetrate these hateful acts. I join in condemning this crime, and I will continue to work with people of good conscience to ensure that Richmond Hill and every Queens neighborhood are welcoming for Hindus and people of every faith. We will defeat hate by working together to ensure that Queens residents can continue to live safely as the borough of families.”

Assemblyman David Weprin said: “I am appalled that we have to keep convening in hate crimes like this again and again. Vandalism, threats, or intimidation against any of our places of worship will never be tolerated. I do not come from a Hindu background, but I view this vandalism as if it were an attack on my own Synagogue. Mahatma Gandhi was a dedicated servant of peace in the face of violence – we must embody his values and stand in solidarity with the attendees of Tulsi Mandir and our neighbors in the Hindu community.”

Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson said: “Hate has no place in South Richmond Hill. The individuals who committed this cowardly act sought to inspire fear and anxiety, but we have chosen to respond with unity and solidarity. I stand together with Pandit Maharaj, Assemblywoman Rajkumar, and the entire Hindu community to denounce hate and promote justice.”

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “Incidents such as this have no place in our city, especially not here in Queens - the most diverse county in the world. My Office is assisting the New York Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force in its investigation and when an arrest is made will carefully consider the appropriate charges.”

Councilwoman Lynn Schulman said: "It is appalling that a second act of vandalism occurred in front of Tulsi Mandir last week. The blatant disrespect & hate against those who practice Hinduism is a threat to public safety, and needs to be treated with the upmost priority in order to catch the criminals responsible for this offense."

Councilwoman Joann Ariola said: “The desecration of any religious statue, symbol or artifact is a crime against all of us. The symbols have deep meaning to many and much significance to their religion. I hope that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice quickly.”

Coalition of Hindus of North America President Nikunj Trivedi said: “CoHNA strongly condemns this hate crime against the Tulsi Mandir and stands in solidarity with Assemblywoman Rajkumar in calling for a swift investigation. Unfortunately, we are seeing a surge in Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu hate crimes, including the desecration of Gandhi statues and attacks on Hindu public officials in multiple places. We call upon leaders, law officials and the general public to stand against such hate and bigotry.”

Hindu American Foundation Executive Director Suhag Shukla said: “Mahatma Gandhi’s message of peace and oneness emanates from the core of Hindu teachings. For those who wish to divide and sow seeds of hate, that message is a threat, and so we see these ugly attacks on a prominent symbol of our legacy and that too at a temple – the most sacred of spaces for Hindus. We call upon local and federal law enforcement to investigate this latest attack and whether it is related to similar attacks on statues of Gandhi in other parts of the country and bring these criminals to justice.”

Queens Community Board 10 Chair Betty Braton said: “Any act of vandalism towards any item of religious or cultural significance to anyone, most especially one located at a religious institution, is unacceptable behavior. Hate has no place in our society. Community Board 10 joins in condemning hateful behavior such as what occurred here at one of the religious institutions in our district.”

Richmond Hill community leader Romeo Hitllal said: “When anyone is a victim of a hate crime in Richmond Hill, it is a crime against the very values that define our neighborhood. I love Richmond Hill because people of every faith and background live together in a spirit of camaraderie and community. The hatred that drove the abhorrent vandalism at Tulsi Mandir is not who we are, and we will work together to make the mandir, and our whole community, stronger and more welcoming than ever before.”