Statue depicting Pakistan Army’s 1971 surrender to India vandalised in Bangladesh

Indian opposition leader Shashi Tharoor lamented the destruction and vandalism of a statue meant to commemorate the liberation of Bangladesh. The Indian Army played a massive part in the freedom and creation ofBangladesh in 1971 and the statute depicted the moment Pakistan and its 93,000 soldiers surrendered after the war.

Indian MP Shashi Tharoortook to his official social media handles and posted pictures of the statute destroyed by "anti-India vandals".

"Sad to see images like this of statues at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex, Mujibnagar, destroyed by anti-India vandals," wrote Tharoor on X (formerly Twitter).

"This follows disgraceful attacks on the Indian cultural centre, temples, and Hindu homes in several places, even as reports came in of Muslim civilians protecting other minority homes and places of worship," the Indian National Congress (INC) leader added.

Sad to see images like this of statues at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex, Mujibnagar, destroyed by anti-India vandals. This follows disgraceful attacks on the Indian cultural centre, temples and Hindu homes in several places, even as reports came in of Muslim civilians… pic.twitter.com/FFrftoA81T — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 12, 2024

The Thiruvananthapuram MPalso called uponnewly-appointed interim government head Muhammad Yunus to look into the matter and take action.

"It is essential that @Yunus_Centre and his interim government take urgent steps to restore law & order in the interests of all Bangladeshis, of every faith. India stands with the people of Bangladesh at this turbulent time, but such anarchic excess can never be condoned."

Notably, it was on December 16, 1971, that Lt Gen AAK Niazi, commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, signed the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Lt Gen JS Aurora of the Indian Army in Dacca (now Dhaka) that birthed the iconic photo that was chiselled into a statute.

Watch |Protests against attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus rage on

Hindus under attack

The attack on the statute, depicting the Indian Army in a positive light might be closely associated with the anti-India rhetoric that has gained prominence in the light of recent political events in Bangladesh.

Ever since Sheikh Hasina fled the country, leaving her PM post, the minorities have been incessantly targeted, especially the Hindus, who form only 7.5 per cent of the 170 million population.

Hasina's ouster came at the end of a massive student protest against a controversial quota policy that reserved high-paying government jobs for relatives of Bangladesh Independence War veterans. However, the protest has now been hijacked and Hindus are being targeted.

(With inputs from agencies)