India asks Bangladesh to protect minority Hindus
Reuters
Posted online: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 at 1313 hours IST
New Delhi, November 20: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Tuesday India has taken a serious view of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh and asked authorities in Dhaka to guard their safety.
"The Prime Minister expressed concern over atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh and said we've taken serious note of it," BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra told reporters after a closed-door meeting of party MPs.
Dozens of Hindus have fled to India from Bangladesh in recent weeks, alleging intimidation, violence and torture by Muslims since Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's new government was sworn in last month. Women's group activists have also alleged rape.
Police in Bangladesh acknowledge a few incidents but the Dhaka government has dismissed allegations of atrocities as political propaganda.
"We're in constant touch with the Bangladesh government... to find out what exactly happened and asked the Bangladesh authorities to stop the atrocities," Malhotra quoted Vajpayee as saying.
Source: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=4725