WATCH: Intolerance continues! Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue vandalized AGAIN in Lahore, India condemns

Lahore, Aug 18: In yet another attempt to spread hatred against Indian history in Pakistan, the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been vandalized once again in Lahore. This act was done by a person associated with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) organization, who was caught by the people present around the time of the incident.

 

 

 

A video of the incident went viral on social media in which a man wearing a white kurta-pajama is seen breaking the leg and another part of the idol. Slogans can be heard in the video as well. The people present at the site caught the man and handed him over to the police. Notably, TLP is a political party of Pakistan, which identifies itself as an Islamic party. This party was formed in 2015 and was banned in April this year.

 

 

Speaking about the incident, the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the growing intolerance in Pakistan and condemned the vandalization of the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore. "We have seen disturbing reports in the media about the vandalization of the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore today. This is the third such incident wherein the statue has been vandalised, since it was unveiled in 2019," said External Affairs Ministry (EAM) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in response to a query.

 

 

The spokesperson said that such attacks on the cultural heritage of minority communities, highlight the lack of respect for minority communities in Pakistani society. "Incidents of violence against minority communities, including attacks on their places of worship, their cultural heritage, as well as their private property, are increasing at an alarming rate. It was only twelve days ago that a mob attacked and desecrated a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan," Bagchi said.

 

The Pakistani state has completely failed in its duty to prevent such attacks. This is creating a climate of fear for the minority communities to practice their faith, he added. He called upon the Government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities.

 

 

This 9-feet bronze statue was unveiled in June 2019 at the Lahore Fort. This is the third time this idol has been attacked since then. Last year in December too, a man had vandalised the statue and broke the hand of the idol. He was trying to do more harm but people had caught him. Apart from this, a mob had tried to damage the idol as well.

 

The nine-foot-tall structure in cold bronze was unveiled at the Lahore Fort on June 27, 2019, to mark the former ruler's 180th death anniversary. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, known as Lion of Punjab, Singh was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire who ruled over Punjab for close to four decades.

 

 

On the other hand, India's Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also condemned the vandalism of the statue of Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Pakistan's city of Lahore, stating that this act attempts to erase the shared history of the subcontinent. "Vandalism in Lahore of the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji, the great unifier of India, has to be strongly condemned. This act, which attempts to erase the shared history of the subcontinent shows how extremist ideologies feel emboldened in our volatile neighbourhood," Union Minister Puri tweeted.

 

 

The intolerance in Pakistan came in other way in the first week of August as a Hindu temple situated in Pakistan's Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district was attacked and vandalized by the violent Pakistani mob.