New Delhi, 02 September (H.S.): India has strongly condemned the reported destruction of a more than century-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province and called on the Pakistani authorities to conduct a prompt and transparent investigation into the incident.

Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had noted with deep concern reports about the destruction of the historic Hindu temple in Siraj village in Narowal district.

“We have noted with deep concern the disturbing reports of the destruction of a historic Hindu temple in village Siraj, Narowal, Pakistan,” Jaiswal said, describing the reported incident as a reprehensible act of vandalism against a century-old minority place of worship.

The temple was reportedly demolished on August 21 in Siraj village, located in Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab province. The structure is estimated to be more than 100 years old, with officials putting its age at around 100 to 125 years.

The incident has triggered controversy over the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the religious site. Minority representatives have alleged that the temple was deliberately demolished to facilitate the expansion of an adjoining Islamic seminary. They have also demanded an investigation, accountability for those responsible and reconstruction of the temple.

However, Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board, which manages properties belonging to non-Muslim religious communities, has disputed the allegation of deliberate demolition. An official said the structure collapsed following torrential rainfall. The official also acknowledged that the temple was more than a century old and maintained that the temple’s own land had not been leased to the adjoining seminary.

The competing accounts have prompted renewed demands for an independent and transparent inquiry into what happened at the site.

Jaiswal expressed particular concern over the apparent failure of the authorities to protect the historic place of worship. He said such incidents highlighted the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and raised serious questions about the protection of their religious freedoms and places of worship in Pakistan.

India has urged the Government of Pakistan to investigate the incident without delay and ensure that anyone found responsible is held fully accountable.

India has also called for immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple and stressed that Pakistan has a primary responsibility to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its minority citizens and protect their cultural and religious heritage.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar