India on Wednesday condemned the demolition of a Hindu deity in Cambodia, allegedly by the Thai army. As the ongoing military conflict between the two nations drags on, New Delhi said that such “disrespectful” acts hurt sentiments of followers around the world and “should not take place”.
“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,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
He stated that Hindu and Buddhist deities are “deeply revered” and worshipped by people in the region and are part of our “shared civilisational heritage”.
India urged the two nations to use dialogue and diplomacy to let peace prevail and to prevent loss of lives and damage to property. The clashes between the two countries started in July, and despite a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump, the conflict resumed this month.
Videos showing the demolition of the Vishnu statue using a backhoe loader have gone viral on social media.
READ | On Camera, Lord Vishnu Statue Destroyed In Cambodia, Allegedly By Thailand
According to a report by news agency AFP, Preah Vihear’s spokesperson Lim Chanpanha said that the statue was located inside the Cambodian territory in the An Ses area. Chanpanha said the demolition of the Vishnu statue, built in 2014, took place on Monday, about 100 metres (328 feet) from the border with Thailand.
“We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues that are worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers,” Chanpanha said.