NEW DELHI, India, Dec 10 (IPS) – Whilst India’s Overseas Secretary Vikram Misri reached Bangladesh amid pressure in ties over assaults on Hindu minorities, he carried with him a bag of complaints: it certain was not a superb will mission. It was one the place India has centered on its discomfort, slightly anger, over the persecution of Hindus below the brand new regime in Bangladesh.
The Indian Authorities has particularly talked about the assault on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and theft on the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira throughout Durga Puja 2024.
Tensions had been additional heightened after the arrest of a Hindu monk who had lately been expelled from the Worldwide Society of Krishna Consciousness, broadly referred to as ISKCON or the Hare Krishnas. He was arrested on expenses of sedition.
In flip, 1000’s of Hindu monks marched to the Bangladesh border in West Bengal; protestors attacked a Bangladeshi consulate within the Indian state of Tripura.
To hyperlink these incidents with current political developments in Bangladesh can be a grave mistake. Behind this upsurge lies a bloody historical past and a seething anger towards India.
The Hindu minority in Bangladesh has traditionally confronted persecution, notably from extra extremist components. That the widespread man on the streets of Bangladesh nurses a powerful anti-India sentiment is a given. India has been seen as an “overbearing neighbour” notably by the youthful technology in Bangladesh who felt that the now ousted authorities below Sheikh Hasina was subservient to India: “an unequal relationship” to cite many.
Quick ahead to the current and the scenario is dismal, to say the least.
As a nation and a neighbour India has executed little to assuage emotions or balm wounds. Due to this fact to say that it’s the anti Hasina components which are fuelling unrest and assaults can be lacking the wooden for the timber.
One should acknowledge and settle for that India went overboard in its help for the federal government below Sheikh Hasina at the price of ignoring all others. That’s the reason when she was ousted and an interim authorities below Dr. Mohammed Yunus took energy, India was not considered as a dependable ally. If something, the historic ties between the 2 international locations have weakened as by no means earlier than. Add to this the perceived marginalization of Muslims below a professional Hindu BJP authorities in India and the alienation is type of full.
On this depend one can’t fault the present dispensation provided that it has info on its aspect.
Historical past aside, current developments too present sufficient ammunition to the present regime and the folks in Bangladesh to nurse an angst towards India.
And on this, one has to start from the start.
For starters, the asylum to Sheikh Hasina. It’s nobody’s case to even recommend that India ought to have turned away a former Prime Minister in misery, Sheikh Hasina or some other. Giving her refuge was, as some put it, “an honourable factor” for any neighbour to do. What’s below the scanner is her prolonged keep.
For document, when Hasina landed in India after being pushed out from a rustic she had dominated for 15 lengthy years, it was mentioned to be a short lived refuge. She had sought asylum in the UK which hit a street bloc resulting from a technicality.
As of now the “non permanent keep” appears to have prolonged to a everlasting one. When India’s Overseas Minister knowledgeable the Indian Parliament of her sudden arrival in Delhi in August, he did point out that the preliminary request by Hasina was “for the second solely”. That the second has prolonged into months with no indicators of a right away decision is one other matter.
The truth that India doesn’t have any coverage for refugees permits the federal government to be versatile in its response. Critics see it utilizing this as a “handy route” to let Hasina keep for so long as she desires. Fingers are being pointed on the Indian authorities not transferring an inch to have interaction with stakeholders for Hasina’s extradition. At the very least visibly. This and for good causes is sufficient to upset the Yunus regime in Bangladesh and write off India as “an adversarial neighbour”.
Worse nonetheless, Sheikh Hasina’s political statements towards the present regime in Bangladesh from Indian soil strengthens the notion that India is including gasoline to fireplace.
In a digital deal with forward of Misri’s go to to Bangladesh, Hasina accused the Yunus regime of being “fascist” and one which has allowed a free run to terrorists.
In her 37 minute deal with Hasina made a particular reference to assaults on minorities. By doing this, she not solely echoed the issues of the Indian authorities however positioned herself as being one which is parroting issues that India is trying to deal with diplomatically and bi-laterally.
At this junction one is constrained to ask: Why is the Indian Authorities not restraining Sheikh Hasina? Why is it permitting her to muddy the political waters? Why is it letting the Indian soil be a handy platform for political converse ? And why is it letting Hasina hit out at a regime that India has to fix a very fractured relationship with?
These questions and the angst isn’t restricted to the corridors of energy however will and has discovered its strategy to the streets. Due to this fact the focusing on of Hindus could also be rooted in non secular discrimination however one can’t delink the widespread man’s anger at India’s “defending Hasina in any respect prices” coverage even at the price of souring the bi-lateral relationship.
Due to this fact, India must recalibrate its method and coverage in direction of Bangladesh earlier than its ties attain an all-time low resulting in a confrontational scenario.
Kumkum Chadha, an writer and senior political journalist with Hindustan Occasions
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