Hindu Mahasabha condemns Pakistan temple attack, calls for economic, social boycott of country

New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha on Thursday has condemned the recent vandalism of a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Punjab province and said that such incidents proved that the Imran Khan-led government was actively promoting terrorism by discriminating against Hindus and other minorities and destroying their religious places.

The organisation has also called for a boycott of the Pakistan High Commission in India and also for a social and economic boycott of Pakistan.

The National President of Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said that discrimination against the Hindus minorities started just after Partition as Islamic fundamentalists want to eliminate the entire Hindu population from Pakistan and wipe out the existence of Sanatan Dharma while on the contrary in India, the population of minority Muslims have flourished

The Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha leader also said that in Pakistan "sisters and daughters of Hindus are being kidnapped openly, temples are demolished, ashrams have been demolished in the past."

"We have written many letters to the United Nations but it is sad that the United Nations is silent over these issues of atrocities against Hindus in Pakistan," said Chakrapani.

Chakrapani while speaking to ANI further said that countries around the world should unite against Pakistan and boycott it socially and economically as the Pakistan government is supporting terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammad, ISIS, Taliban and others. The countries should raise their voices against the persecution of minorities including Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, Chakrapani said.

A recent report by a minorities' rights commission in Pakistan has revealed a "dismal" picture of the most revered Hindu sites in the country. The report submitted to the country's Supreme Court in April presents a "general picture of decay and obliteration" of two of the four most revered evacuee sites in Pakistan, Dawn reported.

The 2020 report International Religious Freedom released by the United States earlier this year highlighted a downward spiral of religious expression in Pakistan, most notably in the form of blasphemy laws, punishment for which ranges up to the death penalty.

Meanwhile, India has summoned Pakistan charge d'affaires and lodged a strong protest on the attack on the Hindu temple in Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district in Pakistan's Punjab province.

In widely circulated video clips on social media, attackers were seen carrying sticks, stones, and bricks. They damaged the deities while raising religious slogans.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said today that Pakistani charge d'affaires was summoned and a firm protest was lodged "expressing our grave concerns at this reprehensible incident and the continued attacks on the freedom of religion of the minority community and their places of religious worship".

India has called upon Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities. Bagchi said incidents of violence, discrimination and persecution against the minority communities including attacks on places of worship have continued unabated in Pakistan.

"Within the last year itself, various temples and Gurudwaras have been attacked including the Mata Rani Bhatiyani Mandir in Sindh in January 2020, Gurudwara Sri Janam Sthan in January 2020, a Hindu temple in Karak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in December 2020," he said.

"These incidents are occurring at an alarming rate while the state and security institutions in Pakistan have stood by idly and completely failed in preventing these attacks on the minority communities and their places of worship," the spokesperson added. (ANI)