New Delhi: India on Wednesday strongly criticised the reported destruction of a Hindu deity in Cambodia, allegedly carried out by the Thai military amid continuing hostilities between the two neighbouring countries.
The issue drew wider attention after videos circulated online showing a Vishnu statue being brought down with heavy machinery. According to a spokesperson for Preah Vihear, the statue stood within Cambodian territory in the An Ses area. He said the structure, which was erected in 2014, was demolished on Monday at a location roughly 100 metres from the Thailand–Cambodia border.
Responding to media queries, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Hindu and Buddhist deities are “deeply revered” by communities across the region and form part of a “shared civilisational heritage”.
In a statement, he said: “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 Thailand-Cambodia border dispute. Hindu and Buddhist deities are deeply revered and worshipped by people across the region, as part of our shared civilizational heritage. Notwithstanding territorial claims, such disrespectful acts hurt the sentiments of followers around the world, and should not take place.”
India also called on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy, stressing the need to prevent further loss of life and damage to civilian property. Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia first broke out in July and, despite a ceasefire mediated by US President Donald Trump, hostilities resumed earlier this month.
