Kolkata: Be prepared to give refuge to one crore Hindus from Bangladesh, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari alerted the Mamata Banerjee-led government Monday as Bangladesh was plunged into a political crisis.
On Monday, Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Bangladesh Prime Minister and fled the country amid anti-government protests. She is currently taking refuge in India.
Speaking outside the Bengal legislative assembly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Adhikari referred to the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) while predicting an influx of refugees from Bangladesh.
“If this situation doesn’t come under control within three days, mentally, be prepared to give refuge to one crore Hindu refugees. The Centre should inform the (Bengal) Governor and Chief Minister. There is CAA. If the situation is not controlled there, Jamaat (an opposition party in Bangladesh) and radicals will take control,” Adhikari told reporters.
Former BJP National General Secretary Sunil Deodhar also took to X to raise concerns about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh.
“Everyone’s priority now should be the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh. Widespread violence against Hindus has been reported. Regardless of the issue, whenever the sentiments of Muslims are ignited, they target only ‘Kafirs’ in ‘their’ land,” Deodhar wrote on X.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra also sounded an alarm in a post on X, saying, “Today, Jihadi mobs are attacking Hindus in Bangladesh. This Jihadi mob will attack Hindus of every caste, without any discrimination. 1,400 years of history is witness that your caste will never be able to save you from the Jihadi mob. Keep fighting in the name of castes until Jihadis come to your doorstep.”
“Bharat is the original motherland of all Islamic Republics around us. We are honoured and flattered that honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh feels safe in Bharat but all those who live in India and keep asking why Hindu Rashtra? Why Ram Rajya? Well it is evident why!!! No one is safe in Muslim countries not even Muslims themselves,” BJP MP Kangana Ranaut wrote in a post on X. “Unfortunate whatever is happening in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain. We are lucky to be living in Ram Rajya. Jai Shri Ram.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, met the state’s chief secretary and director general of police several times to take stock of the situation along the International Border that West Bengal shares with Bangladesh.
Speaking to the media, Mamata urged the people of the state to maintain peace and calm and instructed her party to refrain from comments that could create any imbalance in the situation in the state.
Sources in the CMO have confirmed that she instructed West Bengal’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim to be vigilant and to check any flare-ups in Bengal.
Later, West Bengal Police, in a post on X, said they are closely monitoring social media to ensure there is no provocation in the state.
“Given the current situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, we have noticed a few posts and videos on social media that may create discord and unrest. Please do not pay attention to rumours; do not share provocative videos; do not step into a fake news trap. The state administration remains alert, and vigilant. Keep calm and maintain peace,” the post said.
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee told ANI, “West Bengal shares cultural and linguistic ties with Bangladesh. We hope for normalcy to return as soon as possible…. Our PM definitely will interfere in this matter if needed.”
India shares a nearly 4,096km long land and riverine border with Bangladesh — touching the states of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Sources in the West Bengal government confirmed that the Army has now been deployed in Bongaon and Cooch Behar, along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The Border Security Force (BSF) director-general has also altered his schedule to reach Kolkata, they added.
BSF sources stationed at the Army’s Eastern Command told ThePrint that the situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border is normal, as of now.
Troops are alert about the recent developments, and the situation along the border — which is being closely monitored to deal with unforeseen circumstances.
Dramatic visuals from Bangladesh showed mob fury at Sheikh Hasina’s official residence, Gonobhawan, earlier on Monday after she resigned from the PM post and flew out of Dhaka.
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, on Monday, appealed to people to stop the protests as an interim government will be formed to investigate the killings of protesters.
According to reports, 300 people have been killed in Bangladesh since students started protesting against a government job quota scheme early in July, with nearly 100 killed on Sunday alone.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also read: Once strong advocate for democracy, now leader without a country — tracing Sheikh Hasina’s fall