Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday condemned the Hindu man's lynching in Bangladesh and hoped for peaceful protests in the country, citing agitations in India that he said were held without violence.
The leader described the killing of Dipu Chandra Das - a Hindu man who was lynched by an angry mob over blasphemy allegations in Bangladesh's Mymensingh - as an unwarranted incident.
Tharoor expressed support for the nationwide protests in India led by Hindu groups over Dipu’s killing, stating that they were within their rights. “I don't think anyone has felt that these protests are getting out of hand. There has been no violence, no lynching and certainly any attempted violence will and should be clamped down upon by our police,” Tharoor said, as he called on the Bangladesh government to do the same.
The Congress leader further took a dig at the Muhammad Yunus-led government, saying only statements of regret were not enough and that more action was needed. “They have to take action because controlling the violence on the streets is their obligation as a government. They need to curb this violence. They need to ensure that the streets are calm again, that people can feel safe again,” Tharoor said.
Yunus had condemned the killing of the Hindu man recently, announcing that several arrests were made in the case.
{{/usCountry}}Yunus had condemned the killing of the Hindu man recently, announcing that several arrests were made in the case.
{{/usCountry}}Diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh have taken a hit over the massive outrage among Indian Hindus over Dipu's killing in Mymensingh. Massive protests were seen in several Indian cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jammu, Agartala and Bhopal on Tuesday.
Bangladesh suspended visa services to three Indian cities after a small group of protesters gathered near the country's high commission in New Delhi. Besides, both India and Bangladesh issued summons to each other's envoys.
Tharoor backs Sheikh Hasina's India exile
Shashi Tharoor also defended the government's decision to let ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina stay in India. He said that India acted in the right humanitarian spirit to not force out someone who has been a “good friend” of the country for many years.
“A very small number of people understand the legal issues, the treaty, the obligations of the treaty, and the exceptions within the treaty. I would leave it to the government to do the appropriate consideration. But in the meantime, when we are being hospitable to a good friend,” Tharoor said.
The Congress leader also said that Sheikh Hasina should be allowed to remain in India safely until the government has studied all aspects.
Tharoor was most likely referring to an extradition treaty signed between India and Bangladesh in 2013 and amended in 2016.
The agreement, that says an offence must be punishable in both countries, came back into spotlight recently after a tribunal court in Bangladesh handed a death sentence to Sheikh Hasina after finding her guilty of crimes against humanity over a crackdown on students in 2024.
Citing the extradition treaty, Bangladesh had sought “fugitive accused” Sheikh Hasina's return from India, claiming it was an obligatory responsibility for New Delhi to do so. Hasina has been in exile in India since August 2024, after she was ousted as the prime minister of Bangladesh.