Worries mount under Taliban rule as Kabul's Gurudwara vandalised

Nearly two months into Taliban's rule in Afghanistanworries are mounting over the situation of minorities in the country as the famous Karte Parwan Gurudwara in Kabul wasvandalisedon Tuesday. According to the Sikh community at the Gurudwara, the Taliban entered the holy place and brokethe CCTV cameras.

It is the first such development since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. No reaction has come from the Taliban's spokespersonswho are normally quite media savvy and quick to react on social media. Puneet Singh Chandhok, President Indian World Forum in a tweet called the development "alarming"and one that "abused the sanctity of the holy place".

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In a separate incident, Anas Haqqani, leader of the Haqqani Network and part of the Afghan Taliban dispensation was seen praising Mahmud Ghaznavi and his action on"smashing the idol of Somnath".

Also Read:After Ghani govt fell, Taliban commander took over radio station in Laghman

Haqqani, who spent the early days of his life in Pakistan had visited the grave of Mahmud Ghazni to pay homage to him. In a tweet he said, "Today, we visited the shrine of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, a renowned Muslim warrior & Mujahid of the 10th century. Ghaznavi (May the mercy of Allah be upon him) established a strong Muslim rule in the region from Ghazni andsmashed the idol of Somnath."

The developmentcomes even as the Taliban has been pledging to support the right of minorities. But the group is already seen renegingon their promises when it comes to women's rights and an inclusive government in Kabul. There are no women and members of the minority Hazaras in the Taliban government. Almost more than 30 members of the cabinet hasmembers on the UN terror list.

Also Read:Why the Taliban’s repression of women may be more tactical than ideological

The number of Afghan Sikh and Hindu minorities have drastically reduced in the country. During theJalalabad suicide attack in 2018nineteen members of the Sikh community were killed,since then, many have come to India and found refuge in the country.

In August, India brought back many members of the Sikh Hindu community from the country as Kabul fell to the Taliban. Itincluded twoAfghan Sikh MPs - Anarkali Honaryar and Narendra Singh Khalsa.

The situation of minorities under the Taliban in 1990s was badand included rules like wearing yellow bands as a mode of identification. The group had back then blown the historic Bamiyan Buddhas leaving the world in a state of shock.