AIMIM MP Owaisi Condemns Violence in Bangladesh, Urges Protection of Minorities, Regional Stability

Hyderabad: AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday expressed concern over recent developments in Bangladesh and incidents of violence in India, calling for the protection of minorities and stressing the need for regional stability.

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said his party strongly condemned the killing of Deepu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal in Bangladesh and supported the steps being taken by the Government of India to maintain strong ties with the neighbouring country.

"As far as our party is concerned, we condemn what happened to Deepu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal, and we support whatever steps the Government of India is taking to ensure that the relationship with Bangladesh remains stronger," he said.

Owaisi added that Bangladesh was founded on the ideals of secular Bangla nationalism and is home to nearly 20 million minorities who are not Muslims. He expressed hope that tensions between the two countries would not escalate and said the recent incidents in Bangladesh go against its constitutional values.

"Bangladesh was created on secular Bangla nationalism, and there are 20 million minorities who are not Muslims who live in Bangladesh. I sincerely hope that the tensions don't escalate between India and Bangladesh, and whatever is happening in Bangladesh in terms of what happened to the sad incident of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal is contrary to their own constitutional mandate, and I hope that Mr Yunus will ensure that all the minorities living in Bangladesh are protected," Owaisi added.

Highlighting the importance of regional stability, Owaisi said peace in Bangladesh is crucial for India's security, especially in the northeastern region. Referring to recent political developments, he said a popular revolution had taken place in Bangladesh and expressed hope that relations between the two countries would improve after elections expected in February. He also warned about the presence of forces inimical to India, including ISI and China, in the region.

"But at the same time, we must remember that the stability in Bangladesh is very important for security of India, especially Northeast. A popular revolution has happened in Bangladesh, and we hope that when the elections are held in February, the relationship between India and Bangladesh will improve for good. And we must also remember that ISI, China and all these forces which are inimical to India are now in Bangladesh," Owaisi said.

At the same time, Owaisi raised concerns about incidents of violence within India. He cited the lynching of a labourer from West Bengal in Odisha's Sambalpur and the death of a tribal MBA student, Angel Chakma, in Uttarakhand after an alleged assault.

"On December 24, a labourer from West Bengal was lynched in Odisha's Sambalpur. A tribal boy doing MBA in Uttarakhand was beaten up, Angel Chakma. He died. So these are all clear examples of how when the rule of law breaks and majority-run politics overtakes everything, these lynchings happen, which we have to condemn," he added.

His remarks come after, earlier on Wednesday, the Daily Star reported that a Hindu youth identified as Amrit Mondal was lynched at Hosendanga village of Kalimohor union in Rajbari's Pangsha sub-district over an extortion allegation.

The murder of Mondal took place days after the mob lynching and burning of the Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district.

A worker in a garment factory, Dipu Chandra Das, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges and had his body hanged and set on fire on December 18.

The Daily Star, citing Mymensingh's Additional Superintendent of Police, Abdullah Al Mamun, stated that a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory, accusing him of making "derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)" in a Facebook post.

However, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-14 Company Commander in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, told The Daily Star that investigators found no evidence suggesting the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could have hurt religious sentiments.