India condemns demolition of century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan, calls it ‘stark reminder’ of minority vulnerability
The incident comes amid concerns over the destruction of historic places of worship belonging to minority communities in Pakistan.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsIndia on Wednesday strongly condemned the reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan, urging Islamabad to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into the incident and take steps to restore the place of worship.
Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had taken note of reports about the destruction of the historic Hindu temple in Siraj village, Narowal, Pakistan.
“We unequivocally condemn this reprehensible act of vandalism against a century-old minority place of worship. The apparent apathy of authorities and failure to protect this century-old temple is alarming,” Jaiswal said.
He described such incidents as a “stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities” and of violations of their religious freedoms and places of worship in Pakistan.
“We call upon the Government of Pakistan to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into this incident and ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable,” Jaiswal said.
He also called on Pakistan to take immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple and fulfil its responsibility to ensure the safety, security and well-being of minority citizens, along with the protection of their cultural heritage.
The Hindu temple, believed to have been constructed more than 100 years ago, was demolished on August 21 in Siraj village in Narowal city, Punjab province.
According to local media reports, the Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP), a minority rights organisation, alleged that the temple was intentionally demolished to make room for the expansion of an adjacent seminary. The organisation called for the temple to be reconstructed in its original form.
PMMP said that a group of people carried out the demolition, according to a report by Dawn.
The incident comes amid concerns over the destruction of historic places of worship belonging to minority communities in Pakistan.
In June, parts of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad were reduced to rubble after a local businessman allegedly carried out demolition work without the required legal clearance or a court order.
The authorities acknowledged the demolition only after Sikh residents of Farooqabad took to the streets to protest.
A report by Khalsa Vox said the demolition took place on the night of June 24, when machinery was used to bring down portions of the historic gurdwara. The report noted that the shrine had served as a place of worship for generations of the Sikh community.
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It further said that an official later acknowledged that the department had failed to take notice of the demolition until local Sikhs protested.
The two incidents have raised fresh concerns over the protection of religious sites belonging to minority communities and the safeguarding of their cultural heritage in Pakistan.
(with IANS inputs)
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