India denounced Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) over its systematic failure to stop attacks on Hindu temples and religious minorities while being the co-sponsors of the resolution on Promoting a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites at the world body. TS Tirumurti, the Indian ambassador to the United Nations in his address said that “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”.
His charge at Pakistan came as the United Nations General Assembly discussed and adopted the ‘Resolution on Promoting a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites’. The resolution calls for increased international efforts to foster a global dialogue on the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, based on respect for human rights and for the diversity of religions and beliefs.
Terrorist Organisations like ISIS and al-Qaeda have destroyed the heritage sites at Nimrud, Palmyra Monuments, Bamiyan Buddhas, sites in Kismayo, Samarra in Iraq and many more. Preserving heritage sites are a duty for the present generation of humans for the future.
Tirumurti said that India attaches great importance to the safeguarding cultural heritage and religious sites as mandated in the preamble of the Indian Constitution that declares it as a “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic” which secures to all citizens “liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship”. He informed that India also has strong legal framework for acts of violence or discrimination based on religion including violence targeted towards the places of worship. Further, Article 25 of the Constitution accords everybody the freedom of conscience and the right to practice, propagate and preach their religion, he said.
Recalling the instances where prominent religious and cultural heritage sites were attacked and destroyed, the Indian ambassador to the UN said the destruction of the iconic Bamyan Buddha, bombing of the Sikh gurudwara in Afghanistan where 25 Sikh worshipers were killed are examples of growing terrorism, violent extremism, radicalization and intolerance, which make such sites vulnerable to terrorist acts.
He reminded UNGA of the recent attack and destruction of a historic Hindu temple in Karak in Pakistan which was attacked and set on fire by a mob. This was done with “explicit support and connivance with the law enforcement agencies which stood as mute spectators while the historic temple was being razed”, he said. Tirumurti further said that 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.
In order to foster a culture of peace, the UN should not take sides and no selectivity should exist he said. “We must stand united against the forces that supplant dialogue and peace with hatred and violence”, he cautioned the UNGA.
Terrorist Organisations like ISIS and al-Qaeda have destroyed the heritage sites at Nimrud, Palmyra Monuments, Bamiyan Buddhas, sites in Kismayo, Samarra in Iraq and many more. UNESCO had approved a proposal to send UN peacekeepers to protect heritage sites around the world from various threats, primarily from terrorist attacks and destruction by militants.
Aayush Pal 
Shobhil Shrivastava 
Dr. Niranjan B Poojar