How India, Cambodia Reacted To Damage Of Lord Vishnu Statue By Thai Army

India and Cambodia condemned the alleged demolition of a Lord Vishnu statue near the Thailand–Cambodia border, calling it disrespectful and urging a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing dispute.

India and Cambodia have expressed concern over the alleged demolition of a statue of a Hindu deity near the Thailand–Cambodia border, an incident that has triggered outrage amid an escalating territorial dispute between the two countries.

Cambodian officials said the statue of Lord Vishnu, constructed in 2014, was located within Cambodian territory. “The statue was inside our territory in the An Ses area,” Kim Chanpanha, a government spokesperson in the border province of Preah Vihear, told AFP. A review of Google Maps data showed the site to be about 400 metres from the recognised border line, the agency reported.

Condemning the incident, Chanpanha said, “We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues that are worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers.”

India also weighed in on Wednesday, calling the alleged act “disrespectful” and urging both countries to resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had taken note of reports concerning the statue’s demolition in an area affected by the ongoing border dispute.

“We have seen reports on the demolition of a statue of a Hindu religious deity, built in recent times, and located in an area affected by the ongoing Thai-Cambodia border dispute,” Jaiswal said in response to a media query.

“Hindu and Buddhist deities are deeply revered and worshipped by people across the region, as part of our shared civilisational heritage,” he added.

“Notwithstanding territorial claims, such disrespectful acts hurt the sentiments of followers around the world, and should not take place,” Jaiswal said.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of a long-running border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia that flared up again earlier this month. According to official figures cited in reports, the renewed clashes have claimed more than 40 lives and displaced nearly one million people.

Both sides have accused each other of provoking the violence and targeting civilians. Cambodia has repeatedly alleged that Thailand has damaged temples along the disputed frontier, while Thailand has countered that Cambodian forces were deploying troops near centuries-old stone structures.