New Delhi, December 24: India has expressed serious concern over reports of the desecration of a recently constructed statue of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu in the area affected by the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute.
Responding to media queries, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said that such incidents hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees across the world and are unacceptable under any circumstances.
He said that Hindu and Buddhist deities are worshipped with deep reverence throughout the region and are an integral part of a shared civilizational heritage. Regardless of territorial or border claims, disrespect for religious symbols is condemnable.
India called on both sides to exercise restraint, stating that returning to the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the only solution to peace. The statement also said that only by restoring peace can loss of life and property and damage to cultural heritage be prevented.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met the Prime Minister of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok on his official visit to Thailand. On arrival at the government house, Modi was received by Prime Minister Shinawatra and accorded a ceremonial welcome.
This was their second meeting. Earlier, the two leaders had met on the sidelines of ASEAN related Summit in Vientiane in October 2024.