Row over Syeda Hameed's remark on Bangladeshis; BJP's Rakesh Sinha calls it "Anti-National"

New Delhi [India], August 26 (ANI): A controversy has broken out following former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed's recent remark that "Bangladeshis can stay in India." The statement has drawn sharp reactions, with BJP leader and author Rakesh Sinha calling it "anti-national".
Speaking to ANI, Rakesh Sinha said, "There cannot be a bigger anti-national statement than this. If Hameed ji has so much love, she should live and experience in Bangladesh for 7 days. Supporting Bangladeshis who are breaking the unity and integrity of this country, who are changing the demography of this country by becoming infiltrators, shows that educated and position holders in this country are working as agents of anti-national forces. I consider them vocal agents of anti-India forces. Action should be taken against them."
Prior to this, a group of people, including members of the Hindu Sena, disrupted an event in Delhi attended by former Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed, protesting against her reported remark that "Bangladeshis can stay in India."
The protesters, carrying placards, entered the venue of the event, chanting slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki jai', 'Vande Mataram, 'Jai Sri Ram', 'Bangladeshion ko bahar nikalo' and so on, forcing a brief commotion.
Reacting to the disruption, Hameed said, "A crowd had entered here...I was a small kid at the time of the partition, but the intensity of that crowd (that entered the venue)....Constitution Club is such a dignified surrounding, and a crowd suddenly burst in. The flashback of what my parents and all experienced in Panipat when the crowd came at the time of partition. I fear if this would spread out to the whole of India. That is something which we have to be very conscious of..."
Her remarks that went viral on social media on Sunday have drawn sharp criticism. In the viral video, Hameed is heard saying, "What is wrong in being Bangladeshi? Bangladeshis are humans too, and the world is so big; they can live here (in India). They are not depriving anyone of their rights. Saying that they are depriving someone of their rights is troublesome, extremely mischievous and detrimental to humanity."
When asked at the event about her recent comments, Hameed declined to elaborate. (ANI)