NEW DELHI, India, Dec 10 (IPS) – At the same time as India’s International Secretary Vikram Misri reached Bangladesh amid pressure in ties over assaults on Hindu minorities, he carried with him a bag of complaints: it positive was not an excellent will mission. It was one the place India has targeted on its discomfort, reasonably anger, over the persecution of Hindus underneath 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 have been additional heightened after the arrest of a Hindu monk who had not too long ago been expelled from the Worldwide Society of Krishna Consciousness, broadly often known as ISKCON or the Hare Krishnas. He was arrested on expenses of sedition.
In flip, hundreds 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 could be a grave mistake. Behind this upsurge lies a bloody historical past and a seething anger in opposition to 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 underneath 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 achieved little to assuage emotions or balm wounds. Due to this fact to say that it’s the anti Hasina components which can be fuelling unrest and assaults could be lacking the wooden for the bushes.
One should acknowledge and settle for that India went overboard in its help for the federal government underneath Sheikh Hasina at the price of ignoring all others. That’s the reason when she was ousted and an interim authorities underneath Dr. Mohammed Yunus took energy, India was not seen as a dependable ally. If something, the historic ties between the 2 nations have weakened as by no means earlier than. Add to this the perceived marginalization of Muslims underneath a professional Hindu BJP authorities in India and the alienation is sort of full.
On this depend one can not fault the present dispensation on condition that it has information on its aspect.
Historical past aside, current developments too present sufficient ammunition to the present regime and the individuals in Bangladesh to nurse an angst in opposition to 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 counsel 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 underneath the scanner is her prolonged keep.
For file, when Hasina landed in India after being pushed out from a rustic she had dominated for 15 lengthy years, it was stated to be a brief refuge. She had sought asylum in the UK which hit a street bloc as a result of a technicality.
As of now the “non permanent keep” appears to have prolonged to a everlasting one. When India’s International 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 direct 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 shifting an inch to interact 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 in opposition to the present regime in Bangladesh from Indian soil strengthens the notion that India is including gas to fireside.
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 considerations of the Indian authorities however positioned herself as being one which is parroting considerations 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 not 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 the 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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