New Delhi: India on Sunday trashed as “misleading propaganda” media reports in Bangladesh that a demonstration outside Bangladesh’s mission in New Delhi against the killing of a Hindu man in that country attempted to create a security situation.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission on Saturday and raised slogans in protest against the “horrendous killing” of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh.
It said the protesters also called for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh.
New Delhi also urged the interim government in Dhaka to bring to justice the perpetrators of the “barbaric killing” of Das.
Certain reports in Bangladeshi media claimed that the youths protesting outside the Bangladesh high commission tried to breach the security of the premises.
There was “no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time”, the ministry said, adding the police dispersed the group after a few minutes and visual evidence of these events is publicly available.
Das, 25, was lynched to death by a mob in Mymensingh city on Thursday.
Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. He was a prominent face in the anti-government protests that forced the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government.
“We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“The fact is that about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi on December 20 and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh,” he said.
Jaiswal said there was “no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation” at any time.
“The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensuring the safety of foreign missions and posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention,” he said.
Jaiswal was responding to a media query on the issue.
“India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities,” he said.
“We have also urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice,” he noted.
