India has vehemently condemned the destruction of a Vishnu statue during the ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, claiming that it has caused very deep to religious feelings of devout ones all over the globe. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the incident as unacceptable and advised the two nations to engage in peaceful discussions and practices.
The MEA’s strong statement came after it was reported that the Thai army had demolished a statue of Vishnu when the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia over the disputed area was at its peak. The demolition of the statue drew the troublesome border issue between the two countries back into the international radar after a military clash that lasted for nearly two weeks.
The MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal expressed that the disputes over the borders might be there, but the insults to the symbols of religion cannot be excused in any case. He pointed out that the images of the Hindu and Buddhist deities in the area are very much beloved and are regarded as a part of the common cultural and civilizational heritage. “No matter the territorial disputes, such activities are a serious blow to the emotional attachment of millions of worshippers and, therefore, they should never happen again,” he mentioned.
India suggested that both Thailand and Cambodia should handle the case through foreign relations discussions and keep peace without further loss of life, property damage, or destruction of historical and cultural heritage.
Simultaneously, the clips that reveal the Thai military engineers employing bulldozers to topple the Vishnu statue, asserted to be installed in 2014, have gone viral on social media, thus igniting the anger of both the believers and netizens. So far, the Thai authorities have remained quiet regarding the official motive for the destruction.
Cambodia has also criticized Thailand’s actions. Cambodian representative Kim Chanpanha accused the Thai army of illegally destroying the statue in the ‘An Ses’ area, which Cambodia claims falls within its territory.
The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has been continuing since July 2021. While a truce agreement was mediated by US President Trump and other parties and a truce was agreed upon, fighting has occurred again in recent days. The removal of the holy idol has added more fuel to the fire and caused vigorous responses not only from the neighboring countries but also from more distant ones.
