The Indian government has formally raised 334 major incidents of violence and atrocities against religious minorities with Pakistan and another 3,582 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh over the past four years, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh has said.
The government follows reports of violence and atrocities against religious minorities in several neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, Singh said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
“With regard to Pakistan, since 2021, the government of India has raised at least 334 major incidents with the government of Pakistan, urging it to discharge its constitutional obligations towards its citizens, including those from minority communities, and to end sectarian violence, extreme prejudices and religious intolerance,” he said.
On several occasions, India highlighted the conditions of minorities and violation of their human rights in Pakistan at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
In the case of Bangladesh, 3,582 incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities were reported since 2021. The government “shared its concerns on the matter” with Bangladesh, including at the highest levels, with the expectation that authorities in Dhaka will take “all necessary measures to ensure safety and welfare of Hindus and other minorities”, Singh said.
In the case of Afghanistan, 74 members of minority communities, mainly Afghan Sikhs, were evacuated by the Indian government after the security situation deteriorated in 2021 following the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
{{/usCountry}}In the case of Afghanistan, 74 members of minority communities, mainly Afghan Sikhs, were evacuated by the Indian government after the security situation deteriorated in 2021 following the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
{{/usCountry}}The Indian government strongly condemned a terrorist attack on Gurudwara Dashmesh Pita Sahib Sri Gobind Sahib in Kabul on June 18, 2022, which targeted the civilian population.
“The government of India continues to impress upon the respective governments that the primary responsibility of the protection of life, liberty and rights of all citizens, including from the minority communities, rests with them,” Singh said.
Reports of the oppression of Bangladesh’s minority communities have emerged as a major irritant between New Delhi and Dhaka since the caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed office in August last year. The two sides have repeatedly sparred on this issue in recent months.
Responding to a separate question on attacks on Hindus and vandalisation of
temples abroad in Lok Sabha on Friday, Singh said such cases had been noted in Canada, the UK and the US. “Since last year, [five] cases of vandalisation of Hindu temples in USA and [four] cases in Canada have taken place,” he said in a written reply.
“Whenever such cases come to our notice, the matter is promptly taken up with the host government, with a view to ensure safety and security of concerned organisation and individual, as well as to take necessary action for bringing perpetrators of such acts to justice,” he said.
In a reply to yet another question in Lok Sabha on Friday, Singh said the Indian government had on June 12 strongly condemned the “despicable attack and vandalisation of the ancestral home” of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh, and said that the “violent act was a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive values espoused by” the famous poet.
“India urged the interim government of Bangladesh to take strict action and prevent recurrence of such incidents,” he said, adding that Bangladesh’s foreign ministry subsequently issued a statement that indicated two persons were arrested in connection with the incident.
“Government of Bangladesh has also announced measures to increase the security of Rabindra Kacharibari,” he said.