Punjab: India condemned reports of demolition of an over 125-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab and asked Pakistan’s Shahbaz government to investigate the incident and hold the culprits accountable. On this news, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have expressed deep concern over the disturbing news of the demolition of a historic Hindu temple in Siraj village of Narowal district of Pakistan. We strongly condemn this reprehensible vandalism done to a place of worship of minorities, which was more than a century old. The Government of Pakistan should immediately restore the desecrated temple and fulfill its core responsibility. Corrective steps should be taken.
India showed strict stance on Pakistan
India said in its statement, the clearly visible apathy of the authorities and their inability to protect this century-old temple is worrying. Such incidents are a stark reminder that minority communities in Pakistan continue to be unsafe and their religious rights and places of worship are being seriously violated. We demand the Government of Pakistan to immediately and transparently investigate this incident and hold the culprits fully accountable.
There was controversy in Pakistan also over the demolition of the temple
The demolition of the temple in Narowal has also created controversy in Pakistan. A minority rights group alleges that the structure was deliberately demolished to make way for the expansion of a nearby madrassa. However, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) claims that the temple collapsed due to heavy rains. The temple was demolished on 21 August.
Subsequently, ‘Pakistan Masiya Millat Party’ (PMMP), an organization working for the rights of minorities, alleged that a group of people demolished the structure and removed bricks, metal fittings and other items from the dome. PMMP also contacted the authorities demanding action against those responsible for the demolition of the temple. The group says that the temple was more than 125 years old.