30th anniversary of Babri Mosque’s demolition: Pakistan condemns ongoing construction of Hindu temple on the site

ISLAMABAD: On the 30th anniversary of the demolition of the historic Babri Mosque by Hindu zealots, Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the ongoing construction of a Hindu temple on the site of the demolished structure, and the acquittal of the criminals responsible for its destruction.

“Today marks the 30th anniversary of the demolition of the historic Babri Mosque in the Indian city of Ayodhya by Hindu zealots. The occasion is a sad reminder of the growing anti-Muslim frenzy in India ever since,” Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added: “We condemn the ongoing construction of a Hindu temple on the site of the demolished mosque, and the acquittal of the criminals responsible for its destruction.”

Hindu supremacist groups in India are demanding the conversion of some other mosques into temples, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, it stated, adding that these demands might lead to more tragedies like that of Babri Mosque.

“There is a persistent assault on the religious freedoms of the Indian Muslims. The ruling party in India continues to incite hysteria and hatred against Muslims,” it added.

As also demanded by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) through its various pronouncements, it added, “we call upon the government of India to ensure that the Babri Mosque is rebuilt on its original site and the criminals responsible for its destruction are awarded befitting punishment.”

The Foreign Office further stated that the international community needs to take coginsance of the growing Islamophobia, hate speech and hate crimes in India. “We urge the international community, the United Nations and relevant international organizations to play their role in preserving the Islamic heritage sites in India from the extremist ‘Hindutva’ regime. The Indian government must ensure safety, security and protection of minorities, particularly Muslims and their places of worship,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022