The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday condemned the vandalisation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue in Pakistan's Lahore. This is the third such incident wherein the statue has been vandalised since it was unveiled in 2019, noted MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. He added that the incident highlights the growing intolerance and lack of respect for minority communities in the neighbouring country.
"We have seen disturbing reports in the media about the vandalisation of the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore today," said Bagchi. "Such attacks on the cultural heritage of minority communities in Pakistan highlight the growing intolerance and lack of respect for minority communities in Pakistani society," he added.
The MEA spokesperson said such incidents of violence against minority communities, including attacks on their places of worship, their cultural heritage and their private property, are increasing at an alarming rate. "It was only 12 days ago that a mob attacked a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan," he added.
"The Pakistani state has completely failed in its duty to prevent such attacks. We call upon Pakistan Govt to ensure the safety, security & well-being of its minority communities," Arindam Bagchi further said.
This comes after a video of the members of radical group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan vandalising the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore went viral on social media. Reportedly, the police have detained the man who carried out the act.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue at the Lahore Fort, which is made of cold bronze, is of nine-feet. It was unveiled in June 2019 to mark the 180th death anniversary of the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.
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