India rejects remarks by Bangladeshi officials on violence in West Bengal

"We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said

New Delhi: India on Friday rejected remarks by Bangladeshi officials on violence in West Bengal and asked Dhaka to focus on protecting the rights of its minorities instead of indulging in “virtue signalling”.

“We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

---

“This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India’s concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to media queries regarding comments made by Bangladesh officials on the developments in West Bengal. “Instead of making unwarranted comments and indulging in virtue signalling, Bangladesh would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities,” he said.

Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, on Thursday called on New Delhi and the West Bengal government to take “all steps to fully protect the minority Muslim population”. “We condemn attacks on Muslims causing loss of lives and properties,” he had said.

“We urge the government of India and West Bengal to take all steps to fully protect the minority Muslim population,” Alam had added. Some parts of West Bengal, including Murshidabad, witnessed sectarian violence in the past few days following protests by the Muslim community against the Waqf Amendment Act.

There has been a sharp downturn in India-Bangladesh relations after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka last August in the face of a massive anti-government protest. The relations nosedived dramatically after the interim government headed by Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.