India hits back at Bangladesh over Murshidabad remarks: ‘Focus on your own minority rights’

India responds to Bangladesh calling for the protection of Indian Muslims in Bengal

Tensions flared between India and Bangladesh following communal unrest in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, as both nations traded sharp words over the violence that erupted during protests against the amended Waqf Act.

Bangladesh denies involvement, condemns attacks

On Thursday, Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, strongly condemned the violence and rejected any suggestion that Bangladesh was linked to the events in Murshidabad. “We firmly reject any attempts to link Bangladesh to the communal violence in Murshidabad,” he said in a statement on Facebook. Alam also criticized the attacks on Muslims, urging the Indian and West Bengal governments to ensure the safety of minority communities.

India responds, accuses Dhaka of deflection

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly responded on Friday, issuing a strong rebuttal. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called Bangladesh’s comments “a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt” to divert attention from its own minority rights issues.

“We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal. This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India’s concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh,” Jaiswal said. He urged Dhaka to focus on protecting its minorities rather than indulging in “virtue signaling.”

Murshidabad violence: The trigger and fallout

The unrest in Murshidabad began during demonstrations against the newly enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act. What started as protests in the Jangipur area turned violent, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals and the arrest of over 200 people. Protesters reportedly threw stones at police, set vehicles on fire, and vandalized property.

Mamata Banerjee’s accusations

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee weighed in, alleging that “Bangladeshi miscreants” were among those involved in the riots. Speaking in Kolkata at a gathering with Muslim religious leaders, she called the incident a “pre-planned riot” and blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Border Security Force (BSF) for contributing to the chaos.

Banerjee also took aim at the Union Home Ministry—without naming Minister Amit Shah—asking why the alleged Bangladeshi participants were allowed to cross the border. “If people from Bangladesh were involved, what was the BSF doing? You owe us an explanation,” she said.

BJP pushes for clarity

In response, the BJP demanded that the West Bengal government disclose the nationalities of those arrested, pressing for confirmation on whether any Bangladeshi nationals were involved in the violence.

As the diplomatic spat continues, both nations remain at odds over the issue, further complicating an already sensitive regional relationship.

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