India-Bangladesh relations bitter as tensions rise over assaults on Hindu minority

Rising tensions between India and Bangladesh have erupted amid accusations of assaults on Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, which have prompted mass protests and assault on a Bangladeshi consulate in India.

The connection between the 2 international locations has soured since August, when a preferred rebellion – now broadly termed the “monsoon revolution” – toppled Bangladesh’s authoritarian prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina had loved years of backing by Delhi, at the same time as her regime turned to power and mass corruption to stay in energy. When she fled the nation in August, confronted with tens of 1000’s of protesters marching in direction of her residence, Hasina crossed the border to India, the place she has remained since. She expenses of crimes towards humanity, mass homicide and systematic torture in Bangladesh.

The collapse of Hasina’s authorities was broadly regarded as a diplomatic catastrophe for India, which faces threats alongside its borders from Pakistan and China. Bangladesh was India’s closest regional ally and the Delhi authorities had used its appreciable sway over Hasina to orchestrate economically and strategically helpful offers.

Since she fled, India has been accused of trying to undermine the caretaker authorities, led by the Nobel prize-winning economist Mohammad Yunus, who’s seen as far much less amenable to India’s calls for and has known as for a “reset” of relations.

One of many major flashpoints has been allegations of widespread assaults on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation – claims Bangladesh says have been exaggerated by the Indian authorities for political means.

“They’ve unfold these rumours particularly international locations and amongst influential gamers,” Yunus instructed a gathering of Bangladeshi political events on Wednesday.

“They’re undermining our efforts to construct a brand new Bangladesh and are spreading fictitious tales.”

Tensions have been additional heightened after the arrest of a Hindu monk who had lately been expelled from Worldwide Society of Krishna Consciousness, broadly often known as ISKCON or the Hare Krishnas.

Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested for sedition over allegations he had disrespected the Bangladeshi flag. Protests by his supporters turned violent after he was denied bail, and a Muslim prosecutor was hacked to dying. Hindu teams alleged this had led to a marketing campaign of violence and intimidation in minority neighbourhoods and an assault on Das’s defence lawyer who was hospitalised. This week, Das’s bail listening to was postponed after no lawyer turned as much as symbolize him.

Mass protests have erupted in India in response, with 1000’s of Hindu monks marching to the Bangladesh border in West Bengal. On Monday a Bangladeshi consulate within the Indian state of Tripura was attacked by protesters. The Indian authorities termed the assault “deeply regrettable” and elevated safety in any respect Bangladeshi diplomatic missions within the nation. Dhaka summoned the Indian envoy in response to what it described as a “heinous assault”.

The Hindu minority in Bangladesh has traditionally confronted persecution, notably from extra extremist Islamist components which Hasina largely stored below management.

Yunus has acknowledged assaults passed off on Hindus after Hasina’s fall, however stated they have been politically, not religiously, motivated and denied there was any orchestrated marketing campaign of anti-minority violence. Members of the Hindu group have been typically seen to again Hasina’s Awami league occasion and, within the aftermath of her fall, many have been caught up in a wave of political violence towards her supporters.

The interim authorities has accused India of spreading misinformation about anti-Hindu violence to destabilise the caretaker regime, with rightwing Indian media making unsubstantiated claims of a “Hindu massacre” over the border.

“Clearly, there may be an orchestrated try to undermine the interim authorities led by 2006 Nobel peace laureate professor Muhammad Yunus,” stated Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the interim chief. “Some Indian media have blindly supported Sheikh Hasina’s corrupt and brutal dictatorship over the past 16 years. They appear to be sad that Hasina was ousted from energy in a students-led in style mass rebellion.”

Alam stated that they had invited Indian media to the nation to “discover out the true image. However it appears they don’t seem to be fascinated by masking the story from the bottom.”

Analysts in Dhaka stated the studies of violence towards Hindus have been being overblown by India but in addition blamed the interim authorities – which is seen by many as inexperienced and out of its depth – for mishandling the scenario and failing to determine regulation and order.