India Rebukes Bangladesh Over Murshidabad Violence Remarks, Urges Focus on Own Minority Rights

India slammed Bangladesh’s remarks on Murshidabad violence, urging Dhaka to protect its own minorities instead of criticizing India. The MEA called the comments disingenuous. Preliminary probes suggest Bangladeshi miscreants may have played a role in the unrest. The MHA is monitoring the situation and has pledged support to West Bengal.

India on Friday strongly rejected Bangladesh’s remarks on the recent violence in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, where three people were killed during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a firm response, calling Bangladesh’s comments an “unwarranted” and “disingenuous” attempt to equate the situation with India’s legitimate concerns over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “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.”

He further advised Bangladesh to “focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities” instead of indulging in “virtue signaling.”

The diplomatic exchange was triggered after Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, condemned the violence in Murshidabad and urged Indian authorities to ensure the safety of the Muslim minority in the region.

Adding another layer of complexity, preliminary findings from a probe conducted by Indian authorities suggest that Bangladeshi miscreants may have been involved in fueling the unrest in Murshidabad. These individuals allegedly received initial support from local leaders but became unmanageable as the violence escalated. The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely monitoring the situation in Murshidabad and other vulnerable districts, including Malda, Hooghly, and South 24 Parganas.

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Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has spoken to West Bengal’s chief secretary and police chief, assuring central support and urging heightened security measures.

As tensions rise, the cross-border political exchange threatens to strain India-Bangladesh ties, while the situation in West Bengal remains sensitive and under close surveillance.