India urged Bangladesh to take action against “extremist” elements to ensure the safety of the country’s Hindu community amid reports of tension in Chittagong over provocative social media posts.
During a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the alleged attack on members of the Hindu community and attributed the tension to incendiary posts on social media.
"We have seen many videos circulating on social media. It is condemnable," Jaiswal stated.
The MEA spokesperson emphasised that it is Dhaka's special responsibility to ensure the security of minorities. "In Chittagong, incendiary posts were made on social media. Those provocative things were related to the Hindu community. A disturbance occurred, and some members of the Hindu community were threatened, and many properties were looted," he added.
Jaiswal urged the government to take action against these elements to ensure the safety of Hindu and minority communities.
India had previously on October 12, expressed serious concern over the attack on a puja mandap and a theft at a revered Kali temple in Bangladesh. The Indian government urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minority communities and their places of worship.
In response to a query about a statement on the Awami League's social media handles, where Sheikh Hasina congratulated President-elect Donald Trump with 'prime minister' in parenthesis before her name, Jaiswal reiterated India's position. He stated that Sheikh Hasina is considered a former prime minister of Bangladesh. Hasina fled to India from Bangladesh on August 5 after being ousted from power following an unprecedented anti-government resistance.
To a query on a workshop being organised by Delhi-based think-tank Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), he shared details and the context of the event. "As an important neighbouring country of India, developments in Myanmar are of interest to us and other stakeholders, including the academic community, think tanks and our business community," Jaiswal said. On November 5-6, one particular workshop on Indian experience in constitutionalism and federalism was held, where "they invited stakeholders from various segments of the Myanmar society", he said.
"It is our understanding that such interactions, we hope, will contribute to deliberations on developing a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned solution to address the country's current challenges," the MEA spokesperson said. "India remains on its part, a steadfast supporter of democracy, peace and stability in Myanmar," he added.