India has strongly discredited recent statements from Bangladesh over the violent turmoil in Murshidabad, West Bengal, which broke out during protests against the controversial Waqf Amendment Act. The Indian government referred to Bangladesh's remarks as "disingenuous."
On Thursday, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' press secretary appealed to India to see to the safety of Muslim minorities who have been affected by the violence in Murshidabad in which three individuals died and hundreds were injured.
Replying to these comments, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal rejected Dhaka's position and called on Bangladesh to look inward, concentrating on the way it treats its own minority populations instead of issuing "unwarranted" comments.
Bangladeshi side's statement rejecting the incidents in West Bengal is rejected by us. It is a disingenuous and barely concealed attempt at equating the situation here with India's concerns about the on-going persecution of minorities in Bangladesh where criminal offenders of such actions continue to run amok," Jaiswal said.
He further said, "Rather than making unsubstantiated remarks and virtue signalling, Bangladesh would be well advised to concentrate on safeguarding the rights of its own minorities."
India's Continued Grievances Regarding Minority Rights in Bangladesh
India has repeatedly brought up the matter of minority security in Bangladesh in different diplomatic forums, showing concern regarding the treatment of Hindus and other non-Muslim groups.
While Bangladeshi authorities have rejected charges of targeted discrimination, repeated instances of violence—e.g., against Hindu worship sites and violence during religious celebrations—have provoked denunciation by international human rights organizations and expatriate communities.
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