“Grand statements about Gaza but choose….”: Anurag Thakur criticises Rahul Gandhi, Congress for silence over atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh

New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur criticised Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for showing concern about Gaza and maintaining silence on the atrocities being committed against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh.

Speaking in the Lower House on Friday, Anurag Thakur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the head of the interim government of Bangladesh of the need to ensure the peace, security, and development of Hindus and religious minorities in Bangladesh.

“We are all concerned about the recent events in our neighbouring country, Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not only congratulated the head of the interim government of Bangladesh but also emphasized the need to ensure the peace, security, and development of Hindus and religious minorities in Bangladesh. However, it is unfortunate that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge did not mention or express any concern about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh in their statements,” Anurag Thakur said.

Questioning the Congress for not mentioning minority protection in their congratulatory messages on social media posts to the newly formed interim government in Bangladesh, Anurag Thakur said that when the entire country is concerned about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, why the Leader of the Opposition and opposition members are reluctant to address the issue.

Adding further, Anurag Singh Thakur said, “Time and again, the Congress Party has made grand statements about Gaza, expressing their concerns about the situation, but they choose to remain silent on the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh. The real question is that what compels Congress and Rahul Gandhi to be so concerned about Gaza, yet remain mute when it comes to the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh? Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi write lengthy articles about Gaza, but their double standards are evident when they have nothing to say about the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.”

PM Modi earlier on Thursday wished Professor Muhammad Yunus on assuming his new responsibilities as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government and emphasised bringing about an early return to normalcy and ensuring the protection of the Hindu minority.

“We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The central government has constituted a five-member committee to monitor the current situation on the India-Bangladesh Border (IBB).

Border Management Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced an order mentioning that “the committee will maintain communication channels with their counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh”.

The Additional Director General of BSF, Eastern Command, is the chairman of the five-member Committee.

The Committee will be headed by Ravi Gandhi, Additional Director General of Border Security Force (BSF), Eastern Command, and will have an Inspector General (IG), BSF Frontier HQ South Bengal, IG, BSF Frontier HQ Tripura, Member (Planning and Development), Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), and, Secretary, LPAI, as its members.

The political situation in Bangladesh remains volatile and has evolved into broader anti-government protests.

Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday after former PM Sheikh Hasina resigned amid escalating student-led protests, demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs.