NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Friday strongly rejected Bangladesh‘s comments regarding the recent communal violence in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, urging the neighbouring country to instead address the persecution of minorities within its own borders.
“We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal. This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India’s concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free,” MEA said in a statement.
“Instead of making unwarranted comments and indulging in virtue signalling, Bangladesh would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities,” it added.
India’s response came after Bangladesh’s chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, called on India to “fully protect” its Muslim minority population. Alam had also denied any Bangladeshi involvement in the Murshidabad violence through a statement to local media.
“We strongly refute any attempts to implicate Bangladesh in the communal violence in Murshidabad,” he told local daily.
The violence, which erupted on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, claimed three lives and left several others injured. The unrest also resulted in significant property damage and forced many families to flee, with some seeking refuge in Jharkhand’s Pakur district while others moved to relief camps in Malda.
The Calcutta high court has ordered the continued deployment of central forces in Murshidabad to maintain law and order. The court, which will monitor the rehabilitation of victims, has also directed officials from political parties, including the BJP and TMC, to refrain from making inflammatory speeches that could worsen the situation.
