NEW DELHI – The Narendra Modi government Tuesday hailed protection provided to Temples and Hindus by Muslim students and organizations during the anti-government protests in Bangladesh which forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country.
In a suo-moto statement in both the houses of the Parliament Tuesday, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar expressed concerns over the reports of attacks on the minorities in Bangladesh, Ummid reported.
He however hastened to add that the “full extent” of the situation is unclear, at the same time welcoming the protection provided to Temples and Bangladeshi Hindus by student groups and local originations.
In his statement, the Indian Foreign Minister also acknowledged the “deep rooted and close ties” India enjoys with Bangladesh irrespective of the government in power.
“….. Properties of individuals associated with the regime were torched across the country. What was particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses and temples also came under attack at multiple locations. The full extent of this is still not clear”, S Jaishankar said in Rajya Sabha.
“We are monitoring the situation with regard to the status of minorities. There are reports of initiatives by various groups and organizations to ensure their protection and well-being. We welcome that”, S Jaishankar said without naming the groups and organisations.
Indian media under fire
The Indian Foreign Minister’s acknowledgement of protection provided to Temples and Bangladeshi Hindus is important as a section of the Indian Media, as always, is trying to give communal colour to the anti-government protests in Bangladesh.
The students’ organisations, human rights activists, above all Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, an alliance of 23 small and big Hindu religious organizations of Bangladesh, have condemned the communally charged reporting of the mainstream Indian Media.
The General Secretary of Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote in a statement said temples run by those close to Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League and Hindu leaders of the erstwhile government came under the attack as was the case with Muslims who were close to the former ruling establishment.
Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote also said the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ensured the safety of their homes and Hindu places of worship.
The houses of some Hindu leaders of the Awami League who were very active as well as those of some Muslim leaders were attacked”, Advocate Gobinda Pramanik, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote, said in a video statement.
Ruling out communal attacks on Hindus or the Hindu Temples, Human rights activists and lawyers in a statement said the students’ protest has not been against Hindus or other minorities.
“It is the goal of the next generation to build Bangladesh where it is free for all citizens, especially the minority groups. The student leaders leading the movement have called upon their cadre to form small groups to protect Hindu temples”, Mohammed Rakibul Hakim, Human Rights activist, said.
Photos, videos of Muslims protecting temples
Meanwhile, photos and videos of Muslims students and clerics guarding the Hindu Temples also went viral on various social media platforms.
In one social media post, a student leader is seen appealing the masses from the mosque loudspeaker to maintain communal harmony and protect Hindu minorities.
In another post, a student taking to the social media platform X accused the mainstream Indian media of spreading misinformation and fake news.
He said contrary to what is being reported by the Indian media, Muslims in Bangladesh are actually protecting Hindus and the Hindu places of worship.
Muhammed Yunus leads Interim government
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus – a longtime political foe of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – has been named the leader of the interim government.
The 84-year-old was appointed a day after Sheikh Hasina fled the country following weeks of deadly protests calling for her resignation.
She is currently residing at the Hindon Air Force base in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad – around 30 km from the Indian capital, New Delhi. According to reports, she is in conversation with a number of countries for asylum.