Foreign Secretary Updates MPs Post-Dhaka Visit, Assures Action Against Perpetrators of Hindu Attacks by Yunus Government
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New Delhi, Dec 11 (NationPress) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday provided a briefing to the parliamentary standing committee concerning the ongoing state of India-Bangladesh relations after his visit to the neighboring nation on Monday. During this trip, he met with the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain, and conducted Foreign Office Consultations with his counterpart Jashim Uddin.
Sources indicate that Misri informed approximately 21-22 MPs present at the briefing that the interim government in Dhaka has committed to taking action against those responsible for the attacks on Hindus in the country.
The Foreign Secretary highlighted that during his discussions, the Yunus administration did not raise the issue of reviewing any existing agreements.
Furthermore, MPs from various parties inquired about the status of Sheikh Hasina in India, as revealed by sources after the briefing.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who leads the Standing Committee on External Affairs, later shared with reporters that "a multitude of questions were raised" during the "excellent" briefing.
"We had an excellent briefing on Bangladesh, and the Foreign Secretary, having just returned from Bangladesh, was able to provide a comprehensive overview. While I'm not at liberty to disclose specific details, all pertinent questions were addressed by the MPs. The turnout was commendable with around 21-22 MPs present, leading to numerous inquiries. The Foreign Secretary responded thoroughly and transparently. We will report back to Parliament on this matter as it is an official agenda for the committee that necessitates a report," Tharoor stated.
The briefing coincided with a day when a court in Bangladesh again denied the bail request of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu priest and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, affiliated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He is currently incarcerated on charges of sedition.
India has consistently expressed its desire for the trial to be conducted in a "fair and transparent" manner, underscoring that the arrested Hindus possess legal rights that must be honored.
New Delhi has also called upon the interim government officials in Dhaka to guarantee the safety and security of Hindus and all minority groups, including their rights to peaceful assembly and expression, while emphasizing that the arrest of Das follows a series of attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist factions in Bangladesh.
"The interim government must fulfill its duty to protect all minorities. We are alarmed by the rise of extremist rhetoric and the increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These occurrences cannot merely be dismissed as media exaggeration. We once again urge Bangladesh to take all necessary measures to safeguard minorities," stated Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), last month.
During his visit to Dhaka on Monday, Misri conveyed India's concerns regarding the safety and welfare of minorities in his discussions with Muhammad Yunus, Touhid Hossain, and Jashim Uddin.
"We also deliberated on some regrettable incidents involving attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties. We anticipate a constructive approach from the Bangladeshi authorities regarding these issues, and we look forward to advancing the relationship positively and constructively," Misri told reporters in Dhaka on December 9 after his meeting with Hossain.
