As communal tensions have gripped Bangladesh following deadly protests that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country, hundreds of Hindu temples, businesses and houses have been vandalised since Hasina’s ouster.
Many Indians are voicing concerns about the status of minorities in the neighbouring country and pressure is being built up against the Narendra Modi government seeking his intervention in the crisis.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray went ahead and dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop atrocities against Hindus in violence-ravaged Bangladesh. Referring to BJP’s campaign that Modi made efforts for mediation between Russia and Ukraine to stop the ongoing war, he wondered if the prime minister could stop the war in Ukraine, he could certainly do so in India’s neighbouring country.
“If he can stop the war between Ukraine and Russia, then tell Papa to stop this war, too. Papa, atrocities are being done against Hindus in Bangladesh, please do justice to them,” Thackeray said in a dig at the government alluding to the BJP’s Lok Sabha elections campaign advertisement.
Reacting to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh, Uddhav Thackeray raised apprehensions that a similar situation could develop in India. “Do you think that a similar situation should develop in India?” he asked.
He cautioned that there is only one message that the people are supreme and no politician should test their patience. “If you do, then what a people’s court can do was seen in Bangladesh. People’s court is supreme. The people’s court has given a ruling in Bangladesh,” he added.
He compared Sheikh Hussain calling students protesters as Razakers and recalled how protesting farmers in India were called terrorists.
“The farmers who had come to the national capital to protest were called terrorists. This situation in Bangladesh is a warning for everyone. Nobody should think they are above god. We are all humans,” Thackeray said.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that Hindus are being selectively targeted in Bangladesh. Referring to the violence in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation after a months-long anti-government protest, Adityanath said, “Today, all the neighbours of India are burning. Temples are being demolished. Hindus are being selectively targeted and even then we are not trying to find those layers of history as to why such an unfortunate situation has arisen there.”