Murshidabad violence: India says Bangladesh 'would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities'
"We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal," reads a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs
India's Ministry of External Affairs has issued a statement on Bangladesh protesting India's attempts to involve Bangladesh in communal violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
"We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal. This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India's concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free," said India's Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal.
"Instead of making unwarranted comments and indulging in virtue signaling, Bangladesh would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities," he added.
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The statement was shared on the ministry's verified Facebook page today (18 April).
The violence in discussion broke out last week in the Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district during a protest over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The protests swept across Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts, leading to arson, stone-pelting and road blockades, according to reports from Indian media.
Preliminary investigations of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs reportedly indicated the involvement of alleged Bangladeshi miscreants in the violence.
Following such allegations, the interim government of Bangladesh strongly protested India's attempts to involve Bangladesh in communal violence in Murshidabad, West Bengal, and urged the neighbouring country to take steps to 'fully protect' the minority Muslim population there.
"We strongly refute any attempts to implicate Bangladesh in the communal violence in Murshidabad," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told BSS on the sidelines of a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka yesterday afternoon (17 April).
He also said the Bangladesh government condemned attacks on Muslims, causing loss of lives and properties.
"We urge the Government of India and West Bengal to take all steps to fully protect the minority Muslim population," he added.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal police said yesterday (17 April) that 60 FIRs have been lodged in connection with the violence in Murshidabad district, and the number of arrests has climbed to 274, reports The Hindu.
Additional Director General of Police (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar said a special investigation team has been formed under the leadership of Syed Waquar Raza, DIG of the Murshidabad range.
Sarkar added that the police have arrested the prime accused in the murder of two men from the same family, Haragobind Das and Chandan Das. The police officer said that the accused, Inzamul Haque, who had been on the run, will be produced before a Court."
The police officer also told The Hindu that they are identifying every person directly or indirectly related to these deaths and will not spare any of them.
According to West Bengal police, 70% of the shops in violence-prone areas have opened, and 85 people have already returned home.
