US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, widely regarded as a supporter of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a vocal advocate for Hindu interests, on Monday expressed concerns about the situation in Bangladesh, claiming persecution of religious minorities.
In an interview with NDTV World, a media outlet aligned with BJP narratives, Gabbard, who has frequently spoken about her Hindu faith and has longstanding connections with rightwing Hindu organisations, focused the plight of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Catholics, and other religious minorities in Bangladesh.
"The longtime unfortunate persecution, killing and abuse of religious minorities-Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Catholics and others-have been a major area of concern for the US government, President Trump, and his administration," she said, echoing concerns frequently raised by BJP-aligned groups in India.
"The talks are just beginning between President Trump's new cabinet coming in and the government of Bangladesh, but this continues to remain a central focus area of concern," she added.
Gabbard, who has previously attended events organised by Hindu nationalist groups and has been an outspoken critic of Islamist extremism, said, "The threat of Islamist terrorists and their overall effort, the global effort of all of these different groups, are rooted in the same ideology and objective - which is to rule or govern with an Islamist Caliphate."
"This obviously affects people of any other religion, other than the one that they find acceptable, and they choose to carry this out with terror and very violent ways and means," she continued, reinforcing a stance that has often resonated with BJP's hard-line rhetoric.
She further said, "President Trump remains committed to identifying the ideology that drives Islamist terrorism and working to defeat this ideology and their ability to exact that terror on people, the American people and others."
Gabbard's remarks came a day after she attended a high-level security conference in New Delhi alongside Britain's National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and New Zealand's intelligence chief Andrew Hampton.
The event was hosted by India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, a key figure in shaping BJP's national security policies, along with RAW chief Ravi Sinha and Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka.
A practicing Hindu who has participated in BJP-affiliated events in the past, Gabbard is the first senior-level official from the Donald Trump administration to visit India during the US President's second term, which began on January 20.
As part of a broader tour that will take her to Japan, Thailand and France, Gabbard is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship foreign policy conference organised by the External Affairs Ministry.
The event, known for its close association with BJP's strategic initiatives, serves as a platform for India's diplomatic and security narratives.
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