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France 24
France 24
World
Leela JACINTO

How a former BAPS temple worker in the US got his freedom, but still seeks justice

BAPS United States India Hindu FBI New Jersey DOJ Paris Ted Shaffrey Eiffel Tower
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple outside India in the modern era, is in Robbinsville, New Jersey, on November 19, 2023.
File photo of the BAPS temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey, taken November 19, 2023. © Ted Shaffrey, AP

The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Hindu sect at the heart of the Eiffel Tower strike made headlines in France during the inauguration of its latest temple near Paris. In the US, BAPS came under the spotlight when Indian stone workers were rescued from a temple construction site. One former worker recounts his journey and fight for justice.

More than eight years ago, when Rajeev Y.* first heard about a job in the US from a local contractor in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, the stone carver was thrilled.

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