Delhi says atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh could affect bilateral ties
Friday December 7 2007 00:00 IST
ASHWANI TALWAR
NEW DELHI: In a statement that echoes India’s recently-expressed "concern" over the state of ethnic Tamils in Malaysia, the government on Thursday told Parliament that it kept close tabs on the well-being of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Delhi has conveyed at the "highest levels" in Bangladesh that incidents of atrocities against minorities affected public sentiment in India and could affect bilateral relations, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
The minister was replying to a question from two Biju Janata Dal members, who were referring to US reports on "societal abuses and discrimination based on religious beliefs."
"Reports of violence and atrocities against minorities including Hindus in Bangladesh are received from time to time," Mukherjee’s reply said.
"The primary responsibility for the protection of the life, liberty and property of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh," it added.
"It has been conveyed at the highest levels of government that such incidents have an adverse impact on public sentiment in India, which in turn have the potential of affecting bilateral ties, and should be strictly dealt with," he said.
At least in public, Delhi had used milder terms while reacting to the Malaysia controversy – involving DMK chief M Karunanidhi too – which broke after authorities suppressed a Kuala Lumpur rally by Malaysian Indians protesting against their "marginalisation."
But Delhi had shown its displeasure by summoning Malaysia’s acting High Commissioner to the Foreign Office and telling him about the "widespread concern" in India about the fate of ethnic Indians in that country.
The BJP MPs didn’t specify which "US reports" they had based their query on. But the reference could be to the International Religious Freedom Report, prepared every year by the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.
The US noted certain constitutional guarantees to the minorities as well as sporadic attacks on Hindus, Christians and Ahmediyas. Writer Taslima Nasreen's case also figured.
Meanwhile, Pranab Mukherjee met Bangladesh Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury here on Thursday, ahead of a two-day meeting of Foreign Ministers from countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)-group.
Source: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20071206111827&Page=E&Headline=Delhi+says+atrocities+on+Hindus+in+Bangladesh+could+affect+bilateral+ties&Title=Top+Stories&Topic=0