New York/Nevada (Face2News)

Hindus are highly concerned at reports of burning of religious flag installed in front of well-known Shri Tulsi Hindu Temple in Richmond Hill area of Queens borough in New York City.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that it was shocking for the hard-working, harmonious and peaceful US Hindu community numbering about three million; who had made lot of contributions to the nation and society; to receive such signals of hatred and anger.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged administration for swift action; and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to contact the Queens area Hindu community to reassure them.

Rajan Zed suggested that basics of major world religions should be taught in high schools of the country and first responders should be imparted cultural competency training so that we understood each other better in view of increasing diversity of the country. Zed urged fellow Hindus to educate Americans about Hinduism, the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents; and try to remove any misconceptions about it.

Zed pointed out that reasons for the success of the US Hindu community in the areas of education, wealth and long-lasting harmonious marriages were because of their continuing with the traditional values of hard work, higher morals, stress on education, sanctity of marriage, etc., in USA amidst so many distractions.

Objectives of Shri Tulsi Hindu Mandir, founded in 2004, include: To nurture on-going spiritual renaissance. It has statues of various Hindu deities and Pandit Lakhram Maharaj is the priest.