India has registered a strong protest with Dhaka over certain comments made by Bangladesh interim government’s key aide Mahfuj Alam.
Cautioning Bangladesh’s leaders against their remarks, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal asserted that India wants to “remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments”. He also reiterated New Delhi’s interest in fostering relations with Bangladesh’s interim government, while adding that such comments “underline the need for responsibility in public articulation”.
“We have registered our strong protest on this issue (comments by Mahfuj Alam) with the Bangladesh side. We understand that the post being referred to has reportedly been taken down. We would like to remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments. While India has repeatedly signaled interest in fostering relations with the people and the interim government of Bangladesh, such comments underline the need for responsibility in public articulation,” Randhir Jaiswal said.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the (now deleted) post of Bangladeshi leader Mahfuz Alam, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “We have registered our strong protest on this issue with the Bangladesh side. We understand that the post being referred to has reportedly been taken down. We… pic.twitter.com/o5w2QprZq4
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
In a now-deleted post on Facebook, Alam stated India should recognise the uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina, forcing her to resign as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, news agency PTI reported.
Hasina was forced to resign from her post after a massive protest against reservations in government jobs which later turned violent. She fled in a military plane in August, following which her house was vandalised by mobs.
The relationship between India and Dhaka has strained after the Hasina-led government was ousted and the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus was formed in its stead.
India has also repeatedly expressed concern over the incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday addressed the issue in the Rajya Sabha after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to Bangladesh.
He said India was closely monitoring the situation of minorities in Bangladesh and that the primary responsibility of protecting their life and liberty lies with interim government in Dhaka.
“India’s concerns regarding the need to ensure the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities in Bangladesh have been conveyed and reiterated to the authorities of the interim government of Bangladesh on various occasions, including at the highest level,” he said.
‘India Takes Threats Very Seriously’: MEA
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also reacted to the threats issued by Sikh separatist Gupatwant Singh Pannun against Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra. He said India takes threats “very seriously” and would raise the matter with the US government.
“We take the threats very seriously and we raise it with the US government. In this case, also, we have raised it with the US government and it is our expectation that the US government will take our security concerns seriously,” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi: On threats issued by Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh against Indian Ambassador to the U.S, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “…We take the threats very seriously and we raise it with the US government. In this case, also, we have raised… pic.twitter.com/4LR4dHgN8m
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
