Editorial
It's time for India to refrain from anti-Bangladesh words, deeds
In the aftermath of the May 13 series of blasts in the Indian tourist city of Jaipur, which killed at least 60 people, the state government of Rajasthan, even before a thorough investigation could begin, hinted at the involvement of Bangladeshis. The Rajasthan government also launched a drive against whom they called 'illegal Bangladeshi immigrants' and rounded up 40 'such Bangladeshi nationals' within the first three days after the blast. Now, it emerges that the central government of India, in a letter sent to the Rajasthan government, has suggested that 'illegal Bangladeshi immigrants' should be put in a 'transit camp like Guantanamo Bay'. We are naturally concerned.
Every day several thousand Bangladeshis enter India, with valid visa documents, for tourism, education and medical treatment, contributing significantly to the Indian economy. Many of them who are practising Muslims make it a point to go to Rajasthan for a visit to the shrine of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer. It is reported in the Indian media that many such tourists from Bangladesh have already been harassed by the police in the name of interrogation. The entire episode is unjust and seems to betray the anti-Bangladesh mindset of the Indian ruling coterie. New Delhi's ready reference to Guantanamo Bay, which epitomises wanton disregard for human rights and the very mention of which triggers disdain from the conscious and conscientious sections of the world, does not speak well of India's respect for human rights either.
It is not the first time that New Delhi or a state government has pointed finger at Bangladesh for terrorist attacks in India. In August 2007, in the wake of the twin blasts that ripped through a park and a crowded restaurant in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, which killed at least 42 people, the Indian government was quick to blame the attacks on Pakistan and Bangladesh, again before any investigation into the incident. Regrettably, many leading Indian media establishments unquestioningly joined what may be called the jingoism bandwagon steered by New Delhi.
As we have said time and again, religious radicalism and concomitant terrorism, which seems to have festered in South Asia over the past few years, is a threat to peace and harmony in the entire region and thus the South Asian governments need to coordinate their anti-terror actions under a regional framework. Such a coordinated effort is only possible if the governments of the region try to understand each other's problem, instead of becoming problems for each other.
New Delhi's tendency to readily blame Bangladesh may also end up stoking jingoism in both countries, which would eventually only heighten mutual mistrust and recrimination. Such circumstances would only strengthen religious radicalism on either side of the border and dash the people's aspiration for democratisation of the entire region. We would, therefore, urge the Indian government to refrain from implicating an entire population for what could very well be its own security lapse and instead concentrate on a thorough investigation of the Jaipur blast and all such incidents and take follow-up steps so that such tragedies do not recur.
At the same time, we would demand that our government immediately make an unambiguous public announcement detailing what steps it has taken to ensure safety and security of Bangladeshi nationals now in India on either short or long sojourn.
Every day several thousand Bangladeshis enter India, with valid visa documents, for tourism, education and medical treatment, contributing significantly to the Indian economy. Many of them who are practising Muslims make it a point to go to Rajasthan for a visit to the shrine of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer. It is reported in the Indian media that many such tourists from Bangladesh have already been harassed by the police in the name of interrogation. The entire episode is unjust and seems to betray the anti-Bangladesh mindset of the Indian ruling coterie. New Delhi's ready reference to Guantanamo Bay, which epitomises wanton disregard for human rights and the very mention of which triggers disdain from the conscious and conscientious sections of the world, does not speak well of India's respect for human rights either.
It is not the first time that New Delhi or a state government has pointed finger at Bangladesh for terrorist attacks in India. In August 2007, in the wake of the twin blasts that ripped through a park and a crowded restaurant in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, which killed at least 42 people, the Indian government was quick to blame the attacks on Pakistan and Bangladesh, again before any investigation into the incident. Regrettably, many leading Indian media establishments unquestioningly joined what may be called the jingoism bandwagon steered by New Delhi.
As we have said time and again, religious radicalism and concomitant terrorism, which seems to have festered in South Asia over the past few years, is a threat to peace and harmony in the entire region and thus the South Asian governments need to coordinate their anti-terror actions under a regional framework. Such a coordinated effort is only possible if the governments of the region try to understand each other's problem, instead of becoming problems for each other.
New Delhi's tendency to readily blame Bangladesh may also end up stoking jingoism in both countries, which would eventually only heighten mutual mistrust and recrimination. Such circumstances would only strengthen religious radicalism on either side of the border and dash the people's aspiration for democratisation of the entire region. We would, therefore, urge the Indian government to refrain from implicating an entire population for what could very well be its own security lapse and instead concentrate on a thorough investigation of the Jaipur blast and all such incidents and take follow-up steps so that such tragedies do not recur.
At the same time, we would demand that our government immediately make an unambiguous public announcement detailing what steps it has taken to ensure safety and security of Bangladeshi nationals now in India on either short or long sojourn.
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