Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a sincere and sound advice to Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh that it was his responsibility to protect minorities, including Hindus in the country. And it is time for the Bangladesh government to heed and act on the advice of the Indian Prime Minister, who has established himself as a global leader.
Prime Minister Modi delivered this advice to Bangladesh leader Yunus, on whose watch several Hindus were killed, maimed and forced to leave their homes, when the two leaders met on the sidelines of BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday. Modi used very simple words to convey the message that how the violence against minorities, including Hindus, causes anxiety in India.
NEWS ANALYSIS
There has been a widespread concern in the country after the duly elected government of Sheikh Hasina was toppled by the Islamic extremist elements on August 5, 2024. Frenzy was injected in the discourse in Bangladesh in which the extremist elements, having close links with Pakistan crossed all limits. They particularly targeted Hindus.
This theatre of huge violence against Hindus was orchestrated at the behest of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI), which is notorious for its role in interfering in the internal affairs of foreign countries. It is known for fomenting all sorts of troubles and violence in Afghanistan, where Taliban has turned against Pakistan and its violent acts against its citizens.
The Indian concerns were focused on the organized violence against Hindus, their places of worship, and behind all this was the money, propaganda and other narratives directed against India. This was a combination of violence against minorities, with Hindus being on the frontline of targets, and the nation of India. The Islamist extremists targeted Hindus and Indian symbols, at the behest of ISI of Pakistan, because they wanted to rewrite the history of creation of their own nation.
It was India that had helped Bangladesh to gain independence from the yokes of slavery of Pakistan. It was the Indian help that made Bangladeshis achieve their goal. Indian army made sacrifices for the cause of liberation of Bangladeshis. India’s role in defeating and making East Pakistan to exit the global map is recorded in the history. Pakistan is trying to undo that. That is a major concern. Pakistan has resumed its air services to Bangladesh and there is a proposal of enhancing the trade between the two countries.
But what Bangladesh nowadays does not understand that Pakistan cannot be friend to any country without its self interests. Moreover, how could Bangladeshis forget that what all tortures and atrocities Pakistani army had let loose on them in 1970 and 1971 – the girls were raped, intellectuals, scholars, doctors, engineers shot dead
The Prime Minister, in a way, told Bangladeshi leader that anti Hindu and anti-India discourse in his country will lead it nowhere. Pakistan, the country living on loans and doles cannot help Bangladesh in any manner. Therefore, it is wise for Bangladesh to read the message clearly – Pakistan will devastate it once again. And when PM Modi referred to persecution of Hindus, their places of worship, he was defining a red line for the extremists in Bangladesh, and the government patronizing them.
In the official statement, it was mentioned very clearly:” Prime Minister underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them.”It is self-speaking. It should be tread and understood by Bangladesh in clear terms along with the Indian support for “a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. “
Enunciating India’s people-centric approach to the relationship, the Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism.
This is roadmap for Bangladesh to stay peaceful and stable and not follow path of Pakistan’s mischief as that would be suicidal for it.
