“It is unfortunate that the Leader of Opposition extended congratulations to the interim government (of Bangladesh) but did not mention the safety and security of Hindus and the minorities.What was the compulsion? You spoke about Gaza but not about minorities in Bangladesh,” he said directing his attack towards Congress.
Anurag Thakur highlighted in the Lok Sabha that PM Narendra Modi in his congratulatory post reminded Bangladesh’s interim government of their responsibility to ensure peace and security for Hindus and religious minorities. He then criticised opposition for not addressing these issues in their public statements.
“We are all concerned about the recent events in our neighbouring country, Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not only congratulated the head of the interim government of Bangladesh but also emphasized the need to ensure the peace, security, and development of Hindus and religious minorities in Bangladesh. However, it is unfortunate that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge did not mention or express any concern about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh in their statements,” said Anurag Thakur.
Thakur questioned why the Congress party did not address issues of minority protection in their social media congratulations to Bangladesh’s interim government. “Time and again, the Congress Party has made grand statements about Gaza, expressing their concerns about the situation, but they choose to remain silent on the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh. The real question is that what compels Congress and Rahul Gandhi to be so concerned about Gaza, yet remain mute when it comes to the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh? Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi write lengthy articles about Gaza, but their double standards are evident when they have nothing to say about the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh,” said Thakur.
In his social media post, Rahul Gandhi had said, “Congratulations to Professor Muhammad Yunus on being sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government. A swift restoration of peace and normalcy is the need of the hour.”
Meanwhile, PM Modi in a post on X said, “We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development.”
The government has also constituted a five-member committee to monitor the situation on the India-Bangladesh border. The Border Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order to maintain communication with Bangladesh’s counterpart authorities to ensure the safety of minorities and Indian citizens in Bangladesh.
The committee will be led by Ravi Gandhi, Additional Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Eastern Command. Its members include an Inspector General from BSF Frontier HQ South Bengal, an Inspector General from BSF Frontier HQ Tripura, a member of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) for Planning and Development, and the Secretary of LPAI.
The political landscape in Bangladesh has become unstable, marked by growing anti-government protests. Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus took the position of head of the interim government following the resignation of former PM Sheikh Hasina amid escalating student-led demonstrations.
