A 20-year-old man has been charged with conduct intended to racially harass in connection with an alleged incident at the Canning Vale Gurdwara in Australia on 27 Aug. A video emerged showing a man engaging in beadbi (desecration) by stomping, ripping, and burning a Gutka (Sikh religious text). While Baaz News has seen the video, it has decided not to publish it. The man is scheduled to appear in court on 7 Sep. A police spokesperson confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and early indications suggest the man acted alone. The Sikh community in Western Australia, particularly in Perth, has organized meetings to discuss the rise in anti-Sikh activities, some reportedly tied to Hindutva and right-wing groups. In response to the incident, MP David Shoebridge wrote to the Western Australia Police Commissioner, urging the matter be treated as a targeted criminal act. Reports from Baaz News have previously highlighted how Hindutva forces have made inroads in Australia, with Australian intelligence recently dismantling a network of Indian spies targeting the Sikh diaspora in 2022-23. Moreover, Australian police suspect that recent Mandir vandalisms in the country could have been staged by Hindu groups to undermine Sikh advocacy efforts. In the past, Indian national Vishal Jood was arrested on 18 Apr 2021 by New South Wales Police for allegedly leading violent assaults against Sikhs, including a February 2021 attack where a group of Sikh men were assaulted, causing physical harm and vehicle damage.
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