A video of a statue of Lord Vishnu being demolished with a bulldozer has surfaced amid the ongoing border conflict between two neighboring countries of Asia, Thailand and Cambodia. India has given a strong reaction to this incident and has called it a move that hurts the sentiments of the Hindu community.
India appealed for restraint
India has appealed to both the countries to exercise restraint and not harm the cultural and religious heritage. Actually, there has been tension between Thailand and Cambodia regarding the border for the last several weeks. So far, about 40 people have lost their lives in this violence that started on December 8, while more than eight lakh people have been forced to leave their homes. Meanwhile, Cambodia has alleged that the Thai army broke a Hindu statue of Lord Vishnu in the disputed border area. After the video of the incident went viral on social media, it is being criticized internationally.
Responding to the issue, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that such acts not only hurt religious sentiments but also insult the shared cultural heritage. He said Hindu and Buddhist deities are worshiped with deep respect throughout Southeast Asia and are considered symbols of a shared civilization. Despite border disputes, such incidents should not happen.
India has appealed to both the countries to resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomatic means. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that it is very important to restore peace and protect life and property as well as historical and religious heritage.
What is Cambodia’s claim?
Cambodia claims that the statue was located within its territory and that Thai soldiers entered about 100 meters inside and demolished it. According to the government spokesperson of Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, the incident occurred in An Ses area. Cambodia has strongly condemned the damage to ancient temples and statues. However, no official statement has yet come from the Government of Thailand on this entire matter.
Both countries are accusing each other of inciting violence. Cambodia says that during the clashes, the remains of temples in the border area were damaged, while Thailand alleges that Cambodia had deployed soldiers around the ancient temples. This dispute has been going on for a long time regarding the approximately 800 km long border line drawn during the colonial period and the historical temples located there.
It is noteworthy that earlier this month, India had also expressed concern over the damage to the conservation structure related to the 12th century Shiva temple Preah Vihear and had described the protection of this UNESCO World Heritage Site as extremely important.
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