'Budhha idols will emerge in every excavation done honestly across India': Delhi minister

NEW DELHI: Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Monday claimed the idols of Gautam Buddha will emerge if honest investigation is conducted during every excavation in different parts of the country.

The minister's remarks come after an archaeological probe found a Buddha sculpture in a temple in Tamil Nadu's Salem.

"Tathagata Buddha will emerge everywhere if honest investigations are conducted during every excavation in different parts of the country," he said.

He also said that a unique Buddha pendant has emerged during excavations at Mohenjo-daro, a major archaeological site in Pakistan linked with the Indus Valley civilisation, on August 5 this year and experts are now scouring the history.

"I have studied history. It says that from Kabul-Kandahar to Myanmar, the entire 'Bharat' followed Buddhism," the minister said.

According to media reports from Karachi, a unique antique object, termed "Buddha pendant", has been found very close to the archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan's Sindh province after the area was lashed by heavy rains.

On August 1, the Madras HC declared that the statue of the main deity at the Thalaivetti Muniyappan temple in Salem district is that of Buddha and not of village deity.