‘India takes serious note of attacks on minorities’

New Delhi has taken the incidents of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh seriously, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said yesterday, adding that the primary responsibility to protect them falls on Dhaka.

Jaishankar, in a written reply to a question from a lawmaker, said the Indian government has seen several reports of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.

These attacks were carried out on their homes, businesses, and religious places across Bangladesh, including in August, he said.

"The Government has taken a serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh."

Jaishankar said reports of attacks on temples and puja mandaps also came to light during the recent Durga Puja in Bangladesh and the Indian government had expressed its serious concerns regarding the attacks.

"Following these attacks, the Government of Bangladesh had issued instructions for providing special security including deployment of Army and Border Guards Bangladesh to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja," he said.

The Indian minister said the High Commission of India in Dhaka continues to monitor the situation related to the minorities in Bangladesh closely.

"The primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh," Jaishankar added.

Meanwhile, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs, yesterday said New Delhi is concerned over the "surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence and provocations" in Bangladesh and "this cannot be dismissed as media exaggerations."

During the weekly media briefing in New Delhi, he also said India expects a "fair and transparent" trial of former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who has been arrested on the charge of sedition in Chattogram.