India's West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked to send UN peacekeeping forces to control the situation in Bangladesh. For this he urged the Indian government to take initiative. He also sought the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh. He made this call in his address to the state legislative assembly of West Bengal on Monday.
This information is known from the report of Indian media NDTV. It said Mamata Banerjee made the call just days before a former priest of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISCON) was arrested on charges of sedition amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh.
However, political unrest has been going on in Bangladesh since before that. Especially since the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the fall of the government after the student-jawant movement last August. After the fall of Sheikh Hasina, the country's situation has progressed towards normalization after the interim government took over.
Mamata Banerjee said, 'Our family members, property and loved ones are in Bangladesh. Whatever stand the Government of India takes on this matter, we will accept it. However, we condemn religious persecution anywhere in the world and appeal to the Central Government and the Prime Minister to intervene in this matter.
Addressing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the state chief minister said that he had spoken to the head of the ISKCON unit in Kolkata and expressed his sympathy and support. Mamata also said, 'If there is an attack on Indians in Bangladesh, we will not tolerate it. We can bring our people back from there.'
Mamata Banerjee said, 'The Government of India can raise this matter with the United Nations… so that a peacekeeping force can be sent to Bangladesh.' He said that he does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of any other country. However, when Bangladeshi fishermen accidentally entered Indian waters or a Bangladeshi trawler sank, his government rescued them and took good care of them.
Earlier, while speaking in the Legislative Assembly on November 28, Mamata said that she had spoken to the local top leadership of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCON) about the recent events or situation in Bangladesh. He also expressed concern in this incident. However, he said, West Bengal will follow the policy of the central government of India in this regard.
He said, 'Bangladesh is a different country. Government of India will see to it. It does not fall under our jurisdiction. We should not talk about it or interfere. Although we are deeply saddened, we will follow the guidelines laid down by the Centre.' In the Assembly, the West Bengal Chief Minister also mentioned that he had spoken to the West Bengal representatives of ISKCON in this regard. However, he did not elaborate on what he discussed with the ISKCON leaders.
Earlier, on November 26, former ISKCON leader and spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jot Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari demanded the immediate release of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) West Bengal leader Subhendu Adhikari. He then threatened to 'block' Bangladesh's border with West Bengal.
Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week on the Bangladesh issue. After the meeting, he urged the interim government of Bangladesh to ensure the protection of religious minorities. In addition, the Government of India expresses serious concern over the increase in violence against Hindus and incidents of temple attacks in Bangladesh.
After the meeting with the Prime Minister, Jaishankar informed the Indian Parliament that the Government of India has taken a strict stand against violence against minorities in Bangladesh. He said, “The main responsibility of protecting the life and freedom of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests on the government of Bangladesh.” Apart from this, he mentioned that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka is closely monitoring the situation of minorities in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, the Interim Government of Bangladesh affirmed in strong terms that 'every Bangladeshi, irrespective of his religious identity, has the right to establish, maintain or practice his own religious rites and practices or to freely express himself.'
