India asks Taliban to respect human rights of all

New Delhi stated that vandalisation of the Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul two days back triggered concerns around the world

Expressing concerns over vandalisation of a gurdwara in Kabul, India on Thursday reminded the Taliban regime in Afghanistan of the United Nations Security Council’s August 30 resolution, asking the militant organisation to respect human rights of all, including the minorities in the conflict-ravaged country.

New Delhi stated that vandalisation of the Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul two days back triggered concerns not only in India, but also around the world.

Some men appearing to be the militants of the Taliban raided and vandalised the shrine of the of the minority Afghan Sikhs in Kabul on Tuesday. On the same day, the Taliban’s affiliate Haqqani Network’s leader Anas Haqqani praised Mahmud of Ghazni as he had “smashed the idol of Somnath”. Haqqani was referring to destruction of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat in the 11th century.

“Obviously, it (vandalisation of the shrine) raised concerns not just for us, but I suppose across the world. It is important that the international community continue to insist on the fulfilment of goals outlined in the UN Security Council resolution,” Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said.

He was referring to the UN Security Council resolution 2593 adopted on August 30. The resolution had reaffirmed the “importance of upholding human rights including those of women, children and minorities, encourages all parties to seek an inclusive, negotiated political settlement, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, that responds to the desire of Afghans to sustain and build on Afghanistan’s gains over the last twenty years in adherence to the rule of law, and underlines that all parties must respect their obligations”.

The UNSC resolution had insisted that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used for exporting terror or to threaten or to attack any other country. It had also asked the Taliban to keep its words on allowing the people to leave and fly out of Afghanistan.

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