Kiren Rijiju Hits Out At Afghan Social Media Handle Over ‘Praise Be To Allah Who Destroys Idols’ Post

A social media post by an account identifying itself as Afghanistan-based outlet “Daily Afganistan”, shared in the aftermath of the devastating flash floods in Nepal, has drawn a sharp response from Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Post triggers criticism

The post featured a video showing an idol of Lord Shiva amid a gushing river, apparently following the floods that have devastated parts of Nepal. The account captioned the video, “Praise be to Allah who destroys idols,” triggering criticism on social media.

Responding to the post on Monday, Rijiju said India had never mocked other people or nations when they suffered from natural disasters.

“We never mocked when other people & nations suffered due to devastating earthquake, deadly floods & catastrophic natural disasters. Be Human, Respect Others, Love All,” the Union Minister wrote.

Account comes under scrutiny

The X handle that shared the post has more than 28,000 followers and came under scrutiny after the controversial post drew widespread attention.

An examination of the account's previous posts by The Free Press Journal found that it had shared several posts mocking other religions, particularly Hinduism, in addition to its regular social media activity and news-related posts.

Nepal grapples with floods

The controversy comes as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating flash floods, which have claimed more than 900 lives, according to reports. The scale of the disaster has prompted widespread concern and rescue operations, while images and videos emerging from affected areas have highlighted the extensive destruction caused by the floods.

Rijiju's response has added to the online backlash against the post, with his message stressing humanity and mutual respect during times of tragedy.