‘Extremely tragic’: Shashi Tharoor highlights chaotic situation in Bangladesh
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New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the violence targeting minorities including Hindus in Bangladesh ‘extremely tragic’, adding that people of India cannot remain indifferent to the attacks against every symbol of the country’s friendship with Bangladesh, News agency ANI reported.
Summing up the situation in the neighouring country, Tharoor said a democratic revolution degenerated into anarchy and violence.
‘It's extremely tragic that what was hailed as a democratic, popular revolution has degenerated into anarchy, and violence targeting the minorities and the Hindu minority... We in India must stand with the people of Bangladesh. But it's difficult for us to be indifferent when every symbol of India's friendship with Bangladesh is being attacked,’ Tharoor was quoted as saying.
The ongoing violence including vandalizing several institutions left a "very negative" sign for people in India, according to him.
Tharoor pointed out: ‘The statue of the surrender of the Pakistani forces to Indian soldiers has been smashed to bits. The Indian Cultural Centre is destroyed, and a number of institutions are vandalised, including the ISKCON temple. All of these things are very negative signs for people in India. It is not in Bangladesh's interest either to come across in this way.’
‘They should be saying that this is about the restoration of their democracy, but in the process, you turn against the minorities and in particular one minority, inevitably, that will be noticed and resented in our country and elsewhere...’ he reportedly said.
Since Sheikh Hasina stepped down on August 5, Bangladesh has been facing a chaotic situation with reports saying minorities are being attacked in the country.
The protests called by students demanding to end a quota system for government jobs evolved into chaotic upheaval against the government over several weeks, until Sheikh Hasina stepped down.
However, reports say that the situation in the country since her leaving power is not normal.
On Tuesday a clash broke out between Bangladesh Army personnel and members of the minority Hindu community who were protesting with posters of their missing family members.
The protest took place outside Jamuna State Guest House in Dhaka where interim administrator of the country Muhammad Yunus was residing.
Yunus visited on Tuesday the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka and assured the minorities of safety and security in the country.
‘Rights are equal for everyone. We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us. Please, assist us. Exercise patience, and later judge -- what we were able to do and not. If we fail, then criticise us,’ Prof Yunus was quoted as saying.
He added that ‘In our democratic aspirations, we should not be seen as Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, but as human beings. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why such issues arise. Institutional arrangements need to be fixed.’
