While addressing a press conference in the national capital on July 23, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Anurag Srivastava spoke on Buddha statue vandalised in Pakistan.
He said, "On July 18, during excavation of one of houses in Pakistan, a Gandhara style Buddha statue was found.
What we understand is, 4 Pakistani citizens at behest of religious cleric who told them that their faith will be renounced if they don't dismantle statue, they broke it." "It is been widely condemned and widespread concern has been expressed by a cross-section of people in our country.
We have expressed our concerns to Pakistan and conveyed our expectations that they would ensure safety, security and well being of minorities there and protect their cultural heritage," MEA added.