Kolkata:
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday criticised the BJP-led central government for allegedly remaining silent on atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, questioning the Centre’s “inadequate” diplomatic response to the crisis and accused the BSF of aiding infiltrators to destabilise West Bengal.
The TMC national general secretary urged the Centre to give a befitting reply to the anti-India narrative in such a manner that Bangladesh understands.
Raising concerns over the Centre’s response to the crisis, Mr Banerjee alleged, “Why are the prime minister, foreign minister, defence minister, and the union home minister silent on the situation in Bangladesh? The BJP government talks about valour and ‘Parakram’ but has not responded adequately to the atrocities on minorities in the neighbouring country.” He also claimed that state BJP leaders, who “constantly criticise the TMC government”, should instead ask their central leadership to be vocal about the issue.
“Why has there been no strong diplomatic response from the Modi government regarding the atrocities on Hindus and other communities in Bangladesh?”, the Diamond Harbour MP wondered.
“Have you ever heard of a country like Bangladesh daring to intimidate India before 2014? Is this how you are brightening India’s name?” “We are all aware of the kind of atrocities and anarchy going on across Bangladesh and the silence of our central government is adding to the speculations.
The prime minister always speaks of a powerful government, a ’56-inch chest government’. Now we want to see the Centre giving a befitting reply to Bangladesh in the language they understand,” he said.
Mr Banerjee also made allegations against the BSF, claiming that the force was aiding the infiltration of extremists from Bangladesh.
“To destabilise the state, the BSF is allowing infiltrators to cross into West Bengal. It is the state police who are actively arresting these terrorists,” Mr Banerjee said.
Several suspected extremists have been arrested in various parts of the state recently, particularly following the unrest in Bangladesh after August 5, he claimed.
“Instead of appreciating the state police’s efforts, the opposition criticises them. It is the state police which has arrested those terrorists. The BJP should first answer why the BSF, which is responsible for border security, is failing in its duty,” he said.
Speaking about the arrest of Bangladeshis in the northeastern states, he said, “What is the Border Security Force doing? So many people have been caught in Tripura and Assam. Is a Trinamool government there? Isn’t it a double-engine government?” Hitting out at BJP leaders, the TMC MP criticised their rhetoric on infiltrators, questioning their claims about “hanging people upside down and punishing them one by one”.
Mr Banerjee further accused the prime minister and the government of “remaining silent” on those being targeted in the name of religion.
Drawing attention to the plight of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, he said, “The central government had promised shelter to Hindus through the CAA, but what is it doing now? Is their silence because there is no election at this moment?” Mr Banerjee reiterated that the TMC and the West Bengal government would align with the Centre’s diplomatic decisions regarding the Bangladesh situation.
However, he stressed the need for a stronger response.
“The chaos in Bangladesh since August 5 has caused immense suffering to minorities. The Centre must act decisively instead of sitting idle,” Banerjee claimed while launching the “Sebaashray” health programme in his constituency.
The TMC leader, reacting to the rejection of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das’ bail plea in Bangladesh, stated that such “outcomes are inevitable when a country’s judiciary is biased”.
“If the judiciary of a country becomes weak, the downfall of that nation is inevitable, and no one can prevent it. We have seen on various occasions that if the judiciary is not impartial or becomes biased, the decline of that country or society becomes unstoppable,” he claimed.
A court in the southeastern port city of Chattogram in Bangladesh denied bail to Hindu monk and former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case on Thursday.
Mr Banerjee called upon people to keep calm and maintain harmony in the state and not to pay heed to those who are trying to indulge in violence and disrupt law and order by citing the Bangladesh situation.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
