Remarks of Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of the Indian state Poshchimbanga, are not politically correct, says the foreign adviser in a rebuttal to her plea for deploying UN peacekeepers in Bangladesh.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser of the interim government, Touhid Hossain, made the observation while talking to reporters after briefing diplomats about the current situation in Bangladesh following the recent changeover.
"Political leaders make speech from political point of view, but personally I feel that her remarks will not help her in the domestic politics of West Bengal," the adviser said when asked to comment on Mamata's call for her government to seek deployment UN peacekeeping force in Bangladesh.
He makes it clear that Bangladesh always want good ties with India upholding mutual interests.
Asked whether the upcoming foreign-office consultation between the two countries could be uncertain due to the current situation, he said, "I think that the FOC will be held and both the countries should have consensus in this regard."
Earlier briefing the diplomats stationed in Dhaka, the foreign adviser said a section of the media, especially in India, is engaged in propaganda. "We said that we as a society have always been maintaining communal harmony. "We are not saying that there are no such incidents of attacks on minorities but those are isolated and happen more or less during all regimes."
Mr Hossain said the government conveyed to the diplomats that religious harmony is part of society here and the government is firmly determined to maintain it.
He mentions that there are bids domestically and globally to give an impression that the country is heading towards a deteriorated situation, asserting that the government will handle it "with an iron hand if anyone tries to create chaos in the country".
Responding to a question, he said they did not say anything specific about India but media issues came up.
He said a representative of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka was also present at the briefing largely attended by diplomats of foreign countries.
Responding to a question, Hossain said they shared with the diplomats under what circumstances former ISKCON leader Chandan Kumar Dhar, alias Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was arrested. He is now in jail.
He said the government will not allow any communal activities in the country and that it sees all its citizens equally.
"We did not say that there is no problem in the country. There are problems and we are trying to fix those problems," said the adviser, adding that they have become successful in addressing issues in many areas.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh deeply resents the violent demonstrations and attack by a large group of protesters of the Hindu Sangharsh Samity of Agartala early afternoon on Monday, on the premises of the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in the Tripura state capital of India.
"The accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises, by breaking down the main gate of Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in a preplanned manner," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Meanwhile, BNP Monday demanded immediate withdrawal of the statement of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the deployment of UN peacekeepers in Bangladesh, describing it as a threat to the country's independence and sovereignty.
Party Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, currently in the UK, made the demand during a phone conversation with UNB.
"What the West Bengal Chief Minister said about sending peacekeepers to Bangladesh is completely a threat to the independence and sovereignty of our country," he said.
The BNP leader said the attitudes of the Indian leaders have been exposed to some extent through this statement.
"I think West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should immediately withdraw her statement. She should not have any such thoughts as the people of Bangladesh gained independence through the Liberation War and recently they got back democracy through a revolution," he said.
Fakhrul termed Mamata's remarks a plot against Bangladesh and said the people will prevent any conspiracy at any cost.
Indian media on Monday reported that the West Bengal chief minister urged the central government to seek the deployment of a peacekeeping mission by the Union Nations in Bangladesh to tackle the ongoing situation there.
"We have families... properties... and loved ones in Bangladesh. We accept whatever stance the Government of India takes on this...but we condemn atrocities on religious grounds anywhere in the world and appeal to the union government, and the Prime Minister, to intervene," NDTV quoted Mamata as saying.
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