Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus has said that the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country is being exaggerated and he has questioned the way India is presenting it. In an interview to news agency PTI at his official residence, Yunus said that attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal.
He suggested that the attacks were not communal but a result of political turmoil as there was a perception that most Hindus supported the now-ousted Awami League government.
“I have also told (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi that this is being blown out of proportion. This issue has many dimensions. When the country was going through turmoil following the atrocities committed by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with her also faced attacks,” the Nobel laureate told PTI.
Let us tell you that during the student-led violence that erupted after the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office, the minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as destruction of Hindu temples. After the unprecedented anti-government protests that reached their peak on August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of Prime Minister and moved to India.
‘These attacks are political in nature’
Yunus said, “Now, while beating up Awami League workers, people have beaten up Hindus because there is a perception that Hindus in Bangladesh mean Awami League supporters. I am not saying that what happened is right, but some people are using it as an excuse to seize property. So, there is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus.”
Describing the attacks as more political than communal, Yunus questioned the way India is publicising them. He said, “These attacks are not communal but political in nature. And India is publicising these incidents on a large scale. We have not said that we cannot do anything, we have said that we are doing everything.”
‘India needs to come out of this narrative’
Discussing the future of India-Bangladesh relations, Yunus expressed his desire for good relations with India, but stressed that India should abandon the narrative that Bangladesh will become another Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina. He said, “The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everyone is Islamist, the BNP is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands only under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. India is fascinated by this narrative. India needs to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other country, is just another neighbour.”
The renowned economist said, “The issue of portraying the status of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse. Even when I met members of the Hindu community, I requested them: please do not identify yourself as Hindu, rather you should say that you are a citizen of this country and you have equal rights. If someone tries to take away your legal rights as a citizen, there are remedies for that.”
PM Modi had talked to Yunus
It is noteworthy that in his first direct contact with New Delhi last month, soon after becoming the head of the interim government of Bangladesh, Yunus told Prime Minister Modi that Dhaka would give priority to the safety of Hindus and all other minority groups. During the conversation, Modi reaffirmed India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh and emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of Hindus and other minority communities in the violence-hit country.
Hindus, who made up 22 percent of Bangladesh’s population at the time of its 1971 Liberation War, now make up about 8 percent of the population of 170 million and mainly support the Awami League, known for its secular stance.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)