Hindu-Sikh couple allegedly harassed for organizing Vaisakhi mela in Australia: report

An Australia-based Hindu-Sikh couple was allegedly harassed by a radical group for organizing an inclusive 'Vaisakhi Mela', Australian media reported.

Harmeet Kaur and Rajesh Thakur have alleged that they were physically assaulted and their business was vandalized by Khalsa Aid for organizing the mela. Radical groups allegedly warned the couple to mark the festival as a religious event and not a cultural one, as per reports.

The couple further claimed that a man named Sarabjit Singh Pipli threatened them to disrupt the festival if they didn't change the name of the festival.

They apparently also received boycott calls on social media and have suspected the role of Khalistani supporters behind the threatening messages.

Bases out of South Australia’s capital Adelaide, the couple's organization 'Punjabi Aussie Association of South Australia’ organize ‘Vaisakhi Mela’ every year.