India’s double standard condemnable and objectionable: Asif Nazrul

India has not stopped its uncalled for expression of concern regarding the situation in Bangladesh. There have been innumerable incidents of cruelty against the minority Muslims in India. But the country does not regret that. Such a double standard of India is condemnable and objectionable.

Interim government’s law affairs adviser Asif Nazrul wrote this in a Facebook post on Friday.

Quoting from a recent survey report of Voice of America Bangla, he has written that most of the people in Bangladesh (64.1 per cent) have been thinking, the interim government is providing security to the minority communities more than the past Awami League government. This was found in a survey of Voice of America Bangla.

“We also have seen how the people of Bangladesh, including student organisations, madrasahs and political parties, worked to ensure security to the minority communities during the recent Durga Puja. In the latest incident, the Muslims of Bangladesh showed great restraint and patience even after the provocative and cruel murder of a Chattogram lawyer Saiful Islam,” his post read.

India on Tuesday expressed its concerns after the arrest and denial of bail of Bangladesh’s Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson and Pudarik Dham principal Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

In a statement, India’s ministry of external affairs said, “We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples.”

Reacting to the statement of India’s external affairs ministry, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Tuesday issued a counter statement. It said, “Attention of the government of Bangladesh has been drawn to a statement issued by the external affairs ministry of India to the media today, Tuesday, on a matter concerning internal affairs of Bangladesh.”

It further stated, “It is with utter dismay and deep sense of hurt that the government of Bangladesh notes that the arrest of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been misconstrued by certain quarters since Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been arrested on specific charges.

“The government of Bangladesh maintains that such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighboring countries.”

A Chattogram court on Tuesday sent to jail in a sedition case Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was expelled from the Bangladesh chapter of ISKCON in July.

Clashes broke out among the followers of Chinmoy Krishna Das and the lawyers and the police on the court premises that day. Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Saiful Islam was killed during the clash.

Following the incident, Chattogram Lawyers’ Association president Nazim Uddin Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the agitators hacked Saiful Islam to death.

Meanwhile, there was a discussion on Bangladesh in the Indian parliament on Thursday as well.

In answer to a written question, India’s state minister for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the parliament that India is considering that protecting the minorities in Bangladesh is the primary duty of the Bangladesh government.

In this context, Asif Nazrul expressed his opinions in his Facebook post.