Shashi Tharoor On Sheikh Hasina In India

New Delhi:

Praising the Centre for giving refuge to Sheikh Hasina after she was compelled to resign as Bangladesh Prime Minister amid violent protests, Congress chief and MP Shashi Tharoor advised NDTV that the ability shift within the neighbouring nation isn’t a trigger for fear for India.

Requested about his views on how the developments in Bangladesh would influence its ties with India, Mr Tharoor mentioned, “Our basic curiosity lies in shut and pleasant relations with Bangladesh, our fundamental dedication is to the well-being of Bangladesh individuals, the State comes second and any particular person chief comes third.”

“We’re with the individuals of Bangladesh, we have been with them in 1971, we have now been with them by thick and skinny, even after they had governments who have been lower than pleasant to us, we have now managed to maintain our relationship on a good keel and positively there must be no deterioration in that relationship in time to come back,” he added.

On the interim authorities headed by Nobel peace prize winner and Grameen Financial institution founder Muhammad Yunus, he mentioned it is no trigger for nervousness for New Delhi. “I do know Muhammad Yunus personally, he’s a extremely revered determine. I suppose he’s considerably near Washington reasonably than being seen as near Jamaat e Islami or Pakistani ISI. Should you take a look at the general composition of the interim authorities, there does not appear to be any explicit cause for India to really feel any nervousness about nations hostile to us having put their stamp on this interim authorities,” he mentioned.

The massive concern for India, he mentioned, has all the time been whether or not Pakistan and China will fish in troubled waters. “In this sort of context, there’s all the time a risk that the Pakistani ISI might have had a hand in some outrageous incidents of violence throughout the agitation, that the Chinese language who’ve a robust presence in Bangladesh might need seen this as a chance to develop their affect, these are issues individuals watching relations within the subcontinent are most involved about. However actually there isn’t any implication of something within the composition of the interim authorities or the preliminary statements of Mr Yunus that will give us any trigger for fear,” he mentioned, underlining the interim chief’s name for peace and safety of minorities.

On India giving refuge to Sheikh Hasina following her ouster, Mr Tharoor had phrases of reward for the Narendra Modi authorities. “If we had not helped her, it will have been a shame for India. No one would have needed to be our buddy if we had handled our buddy badly. Sheikh Hasina is a buddy of India and India is a buddy of her. And when a buddy is in hassle, you do not look twice earlier than you assist them, maintain them protected. That is precisely what India has finished. I applaud the federal government for doing it. I might have needed nothing much less. As an Indian, we have now sure requirements we stand for on the earth. The federal government has finished proper factor to deliver her right here and guarantee her security,” he mentioned.

“How lengthy she needs to stay isn’t for us. You do not name somebody to your home and ask them when are you leaving. My view is we wait and see, how lengthy she feels she will be able to keep earlier than she strikes on. There are sensible concerns earlier than transferring to every other nation, there ae visa concerns, different points. For now, She is with us and we must be happy with the truth that we have now stood by a buddy when her private security was at risk,” Mr Tharoor mentioned.

In his response to a query on whether or not the Indian authorities ought to increase issues relating to assaults on minorities extra forcefully, he conflicting experiences are popping out of Bangladesh. “There actually have been some assaults, nobody can deny it, nobody ought to deny it. It is a reality. On the similar time, there isn’t any doubt that there are additionally tales popping out that Bangladeshi Muslims are guarding Hindu properties and temples, So there’s a bit of excellent information additionally throughout all of the dangerous information,” he mentioned.

The Congress chief noticed hope in Muhammad Yunus’s tackle after taking cost of the interim authorities. “Prof Yunus’s assertion that the federal government stands by the minorities and urges individuals to be calm and cease acts of violence, that is an excellent signal. Any persevering with violence will likely be undoubtedly instigated by these parts in Bangladesh’s society who’ve historically been anti-Indian, anti-Hindu and can do no matter it takes to create the circumstances of dysfunction which will give them the chance to fish in troubled waters. However for now, I do not imagine there’s anyone authority who desires to see that state of affairs proceed,” he mentioned.

Sheikh Hasina, who needed to step down after protests towards reservation in Bangladesh snowballed right into a motion demanding her ouster, has been in India for almost every week now. Following her arrival, Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired an all-party assembly and briefed leaders from Opposition events on the state of affairs and the federal government’s plan. The Opposition has assured full help to the Centre on tackling this disaster.