Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday condemned the vandalism of statues at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex in Bangladesh's Mujibnagar. Protestors vandalised the statue that commemorated the moment of Pakistan's surrender in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war.
Taking to X, Tharoor called out 'anti-India vandals' and wrote, "This follows disgraceful attacks on the Indian cultural centre, temples and Hindu homes in several places, even as reports came in of Muslim civilians protecting other minority homes and places of worship."
He also said that the agenda of some of the protestors in Bangladesh was "quite clear". Tharoor further urged the interim government, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, to take urgent steps to restore law and order in the interest of Bangladeshis of every faith.
"India stands with the people of Bangladesh at this turbulent time, but such anarchic excess can never be condoned," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said. Amid the unrest in Bangladesh, mobs have vandalised and looted the homes and businesses owned by Hindus.
Protestors have also damaged four Hindu temples and ransacked the Prime Minister's official residence. Muhammad Yunus called these attacks "heinous" and pleaded with his countrymen to protect all Hindus, Buddhist and Christian families from harm.
"Are they not the people of this country? You (students) have been able to save this country; can't you save families? They are my brothers... we fought together, and we will stay together," Yunus said recently.
Not only this, the mob also destroyed the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Dhaka's Dhanmondi area last week. The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre now only has a sign with the letters 'G', 'N', and 'A' left, with broken windows and twisted metal rods.
Bangladesh is currently embroiled in uncertainty due to the protests that started as demonstrations against 30 per cent quotas in government jobs for the relatives of veterans who fought in the 1971 war. Following these protests, Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and escaped to India.