Speaking on the seventy fifth session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, India slammed Pakistan for the latest assault on an historic Hindu temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Urging the United Nations to take a impartial stand relating to the safeguarding of non secular websites the world over, India identified the irony that Pakistan is likely one of the co-sponsors of the decision on selling tradition and safeguarding spiritual websites.
“It is a matter of great irony that the country where the most recent attack and demolition of a Hindu temple took place in a series of such attacks and where the rights of minorities are being emasculated is one of the co-sponsors of the resolution under the agenda item ‘Culture of Peace’. The resolution cannot be smokescreen for countries like Pakistan to hide behind”, India mentioned on the UN.
On Thursday the United Nations General Assembly adopted a decision on ‘Promoting a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites’. The decision requires strengthened worldwide efforts to foster a world dialogue on the promotion of a tradition of tolerance and peace in any respect ranges, based mostly on respect for human rights and for the range of religions and beliefs.
India highlighted the incidents of assault on spiritual websites in Pakistan
“In world of growing terrorism, violent extremism, radicalisation and intolerance, religious sites and cultural heritage sites remain vulnerable to terror acts and destruction”, India mentioned on the adoption of Resolution on Promoting Culture of Peace and Tolerance to Safeguard Religious Sites.
Indian ambassador to the UN, TS Tirumurti highlighted the incidents the place spiritual websites have been attacked in Pakistan. “The images of shattering of the iconic Bamyan Buddha by fundamentalists are still vivid in our memories. The terrorist bombing of the Sikh gurudwara in Afghanistan where 25 Sikh worshipers were killed is yet another example of this vulnerability. Most recently, in December 2020, a historic Hindu temple was attacked and set on fire by a mob in the town of Karak in Pakistan with explicit support and connivance with the law enforcement agencies which, stood as mute spectators while the historic temple was being razed”, mentioned Tirumurti. Tiumurti highlighted that India has a stringent authorized framework to take care of violence and discrimination based mostly on faith within the type of Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
India appealed for an neutral dialogue on the problem of faith
Appealing for the conduct of an neutral dialogue on the problem of faith India mentioned, “India reiterates its call for the application of the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity and impartiality to form the basis of discussions in the United Nations especially on the issue of religion. The United Nations including the UN Alliance of Civilisaions should not take sides and as long as such selectivity exists, the world can never truly foster a culture of peace. We must stand united against the forces that supplant dialogue and peace with hatred and violence”.
Terming India’s point out of assaults on spiritual websites in Pakistan as ‘unwarranted assertions’, Pakistan rejected India’s claims towards it.