KATHMANDU: The All Nepal Vikshu Federation has protested the demolition of Buddha statues at Tilottam of Rupandehi.

Five statues along the Siddhartha Highway were damaged in a coordinated manner, said the Federation, arguing that it has hurt the sentiment of peace loving people.

Issuing a press release on Saturday, such violent and mean act to foment unrest in the birthplace of Buddha was despicable, the Federation added.

General Secretary of the Federation, Vikshu Kondanya, reminded that in the secular country, vandalism of the Buddha statues was ill-intended and could hurt citizen’s fundaments rights.

Mutual harmony and tolerance would be at the receiving end of the vandalism of the statues, Kondanya said, demanding the government to bring to book those involved in it.