‘We are in a terrible situation where we lost everything and now we are being targeted again’
An entrepreneur who lost everything when his business was destroyed in an arson attack says he is in a “terrible situation” as his property is targeted with racist graffiti.
Police were investigating the arson attack on a former gospel hall on Shankill Road that was owned by Gaurav Jindal as a hate crime, with the incident destroying his livelihood and leaving him and his family with nothing.
Now, two weeks after the attack the property has been targeted again by racists who have written “p***s out” graffiti on the building.
Speaking to Belfast Live following the latest incident, Mr Jindal said he noticed the graffiti after visiting the premises with police. He said he would not go there without an officer present due to his fears.
He said: “I don’t know what to do after everything that has happened. It has left us in a terrible situation where we have lost everything and are trying to talk to the various departments about what we can do to move forward. But at the moment we do not know how we are going to recover.
“I was visiting the property with officers when I saw the graffiti that had been written there saying “p***s out” and see that we have been targeted again.”
The Belfast Asian Women’s Academy has issued a formal statement condemning the latest racist incident targeting Mr Jindal.
Ana Chandran, speaking on behalf of BAWA, expressed deep concern over the escalating hostility in the area saying: “There is currently a great deal of tension within our local community, and spreading this sort of hatred does not help anyone,” said Ms Chandran. “It is heartbreaking to see a family who has already lost everything being targeted in this manner. It is an attack not just on one man, but on the values of our community.”
Ms Chandran also highlighted the significant contributions made by migrants like Mr Jindal, challenging the negative narratives often found in political discourse.
She continued: “Many migrants come to this country specifically to work and contribute. Gaurav and his wife have never been on welfare; instead, they have spent their lives contributing to society and the local economy. It is disappointing that our decision-makers rarely speak of these contributions, choosing instead to focus on narratives of division.”
A fundraiser has been set up to help Mr Jindal and his family that you can donate to via this link: https://gofund.me/c95b9447e
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