People's Democracy

WE are deeply pained by the news that the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan have started destroying all statues in that country including two fifth century statues of Buddha carved into a mountain side in Central Bamiyan province, 125 km west of Kabul. One Buddha, measuring 53 metres, is said to be the world’s tallest statue of a standing Buddha, and the smallest is 37 metres tall. Apart from these rare heritage pieces, the Tailban rulers have also decided to destroy hundreds of Buddhist and other statues and art works housed in the Kabul Museum. This is nothing but a barbarous attack on the cultural heritage of Afghanistan and of the world.

The happening in Afghanistan are a clear demonstration of the threat that fundamentalism of all hues poses to the creativity, culture and civilisation of the world. The destruction of the Babri Masjid at the hands of the fundamentalists in our own country, not very long ago, is one of a piece with the insanity being indulged in by the Taliban in Afghanistan. We renew our commitment to root out fundamentalism from our midst, from whichever source it may arise.

We extend support to all organisations of the Afghan people who are fighting the Taliban regime and its ideology.

We appeal to all cultural and academic bodies of the world as also the United Nations to put pressure on the Taliban rulers to immediately desist from this uncivilised action.