Hard to Stay Indifferent as India’s Symbols Are Attacked in Bangladesh: Shashi Tharoor

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th August. Amid the escalating violence in Bangladesh, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voiced deep concern, stating that it is difficult for people in India to remain indifferent when symbols of India’s friendship with Bangladesh are under attack. The ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, which has seen widespread violence and attacks on minorities, including the Hindu community, has drawn strong reactions from Indian leaders.

“It’s extremely tragic that what was hailed as a democratic, popular revolution has degenerated into anarchy, and violence targeting the minorities and the Hindu minority,” Tharoor said in an interview with ANI. He emphasized the need for India to stand in solidarity with the people of Bangladesh while expressing dismay over the damage to symbols of the two nations’ friendship.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, Tharoor noted, “The statue of the surrender of the Pakistani forces to Indian soldiers has been smashed to bits. The Indian Cultural Centre is destroyed, and a number of institutions are vandalised, including the ISKCON temple. All of these things are very negative signs for people in India. It is not in Bangladesh’s interest either to come across in this way.”

He further elaborated that the violence, which initially began as a movement for democratic restoration, has unfortunately turned against minorities, a development that will inevitably be noticed and resented in India and beyond. “They should be saying that this is about the restoration of their democracy, but in the process, you turn against the minorities and in particular one minority, inevitably, that will be noticed and resented in our country and elsewhere,” Tharoor added.

Bangladesh is currently experiencing a volatile political situation following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, amid mounting protests. Initially sparked by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, the protests have since evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.

The situation took a grim turn on Tuesday when a clash broke out between Bangladesh Army personnel and members of the Hindu minority community, who were protesting outside Jamuna State Guest House in Dhaka, where Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus is residing. The protesters carried posters of family members who have gone missing during the ongoing violence.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, now the chief advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, visited the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka. He assured the minorities in Bangladesh of their safety and security, emphasizing that rights are equal for everyone.

“We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us. Please, assist us. Exercise patience, and later judge — what we were able to do and not. If we fail, then criticise us,” Yunus was quoted as saying by the Daily Star, a prominent Bangladeshi newspaper.

Yunus also called for a focus on institutional reforms, stating, “In our democratic aspirations, we should not be seen as Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, but as human beings. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why such issues arise. Institutional arrangements need to be fixed.”

Following Yunus’ visit, a significant meeting was held between representatives of the Muslim community and the Hindu minority at the temple. This gathering served as a platform for open dialogue, with both communities discussing various issues and working towards strengthening communal harmony in the troubled nation.