The Telangana Taliban...wrecking culture and history

Taliban destroy ancient Buddhist relics

Most ancient Buddhist relics in Afghanistan, including portions of two soaring statues of Buddha, have been destroyed despite international pleas to save the priceless treasures, a Taliban official said today.Most ancient Buddhist relics in Afghanistan, including portions of two soaring statues of Buddha, have been destroyed despite international pleas to save the priceless treasures, a Taliban official said today.What has not yet been turned to rubble was slated for destruction tomorrow and Monday, Taliban Information Minister Quadratullah Jamal said."Two-thirds of all the statues in Afghanistan have already been destroyed, the remaining will be destroyed in the next two days," he said."The head and legs of the Buddha statues in Bamiyan were destroyed yesterday," he said. "Our soldiers are working hard to demolish their remaining parts. They will come down soon. We are using everything at our disposal to destroy them."The Buddhas, 52.5 and 36 metres (175 and 120 feet) tall, are hewn from the side of a mountain in Bamiyan, about 78 miles north-west of the capital, Kabul. The taller statue is thought to be the world's tallest standing Buddha.The Taliban troops used heavy explosives and rockets on the statues, which were carved in the 3rd and 5th centuries, relics of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past. Both were damaged by artillery fire during Afghanistan's long civil war.The destruction followed an order issued on Monday by the Taliban's reclusive supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, to destroy all statues as idolatrous.The Taliban militia, which rules 95 percent of Afghanistan, including Kabul, adheres to a strict brand of Islamic law. Their interpretation has been questioned by Islamic scholars in other Muslim countries and Islamic institutions.

Million March: Hyderabad's prized statues wrecked

Hyderabad: The 'million march' conducted in Hyderabad has damaged - and in some cases destroyed - 19 statues of Andhra Pradesh's icons.

The protest took place yesterday and was called by groups who want Andhra Pradesh to be bifurcated to create a new state for the Telangana region.

32 statues along Tank Bund honoured poets, freedom fighters, and other heroes. They were installed by popular leader NT Rama Rao 20 years ago. 11 statues were thrown into the Hussain Sagar Lake during yesterday's protest. Some of the attackers were wearing masks of Mahatma Gandhi. In the past, political groups from Telangana have complained that only seven of the 32 statues were of leaders from their region.

"Today they destroyed their own culture. They are children of Telugu mother but they destroyed the Telugu mother," said Lakshmi Parvati, NTR's wife.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/11-statues-dumped-in-lake-during-million-march-90934?cp