Centre never spoke on atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh in Parliament: TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay

New Delhi [India], December 9 (ANI): Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Monday slammed the Centre for not addressing the issue of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh in Parliament. He expressed hope that there will be positive talks between India and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to the neighbouring country.
"I have been raising this issue (attacks on minorities in Bangladesh) in Parliament and demanding that the Foreign Minister tell us all about the situation in Bangladesh. But the government never spoke on it," Sudip Bandyopadhyay told ANI.
"The Indian Foreign Secretary is in Bangladesh and I hope there will be positive talks between the two counterparts. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has already said that we will support the Indian government on the situation in Bangladesh," he added.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Monday highlighted the need to stop atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and prevent the incitement of violence.
Speaking to ANI, Majumdar also emphasised that Bangladesh requires India's support to overcome its economic challenges.
"For the development of Bangladesh, the situation in the country should improve. The atrocities which are being committed against the Hindus in Bangladesh should be stopped...Some people are trying to incite violence in Bangladesh...Bangladesh needs the support of India to come out of the economic strain.," he said.
Meanwhile, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday and held talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Md Jashim Uddin at the State Guest House Padma. Misri is also expected to meet the Chief Advisor to the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, later in the day.
The discussions are expected to cover a broad range of issues between the two countries, including recent reports of increased violence against minorities and the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Reports of attacks on minority groups continue to emerge from Bangladesh. On December 6, another Hindu temple, the Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir in Dhor village on the outskirts of Dhaka, was allegedly set on fire.
The temple's supervisor, Babul Ghosh, filed a complaint against unknown individuals for the destruction of his ancestral temple. Ghosh stated that the attackers poured petrol on the idols and fled upon hearing his footsteps, suggesting that the assault had 'ulterior motives' beyond vandalism.
Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das remains in custody on charges of sedition following his arrest on November 25. The Ministry of External Affairs has urged the Bangladesh interim government to ensure that his trial is fair and that his legal rights are respected. A Bangladesh court has scheduled January 2, 2025, for the next hearing in his case.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, commenting on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's reported statement about being willing to lead the INDIA alliance, said, "It does not matter whether Mamata Banerjee leads the alliance or not...West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already ruined the state and if they (Indian alliance leaders) want to ruin the country then she should lead the alliance." (ANI)