AL’s Delhi Office: India rejects Dhaka’s claim
Diplomatic Correspondent :
India has rejected allegations by the interim government that “fugitive” Awami League leaders and activists are carrying out “anti-Bangladesh activities” from its soil.
On Wednesday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, said the Indian government has no knowledge of any such activities being carried out on its territory.
“The Government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law,” Jaiswal said in response to a media statement issued earlier by Dhaka
Earlier, the Interim Government of Bangladesh expressed strong concern over reports of the banned political party, Bangladesh Awami League, establishing offices in the Indian capital New Delhi and in Kolkata.
The development comes amid what Dhaka describes as “growing anti-Bangladesh activities” being carried out by Awami League leaders based in India and urged the Indian government to close such offices immediately, a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said.
Meanwhile, India said that the Indian government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil.
According to the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh, many of these senior leaders are reportedly absconding in criminal cases in Bangladesh over alleged crimes against humanity.
On July 21, some senior Awami League leaders reportedly attempted to hold a public outreach programme at the Delhi Press Club under the guise of an NGO, the ministry said.
During the event, booklets were distributed among attending journalists, drawing attention in Indian media to the party’s increasing political overtures from Indian soil. To date, several reports in Indian media affirm increasing overtures of the Party while being on the Indian soil.
“Any form of political activity campaigning against the interests of Bangladesh by Bangladeshi nationals, particularly by the absconding leaders/ activists of a banned political party, staying on Indian soil, legally or illegally, including the establishment of offices is an unambiguous affront against the people and State of Bangladesh,” the ministry said.
“This development also risks upholding the good-neighbourly relations with India driven by mutual trust and mutual respect, and lends serious implications for the political transformation underway in Bangladesh. This may also trigger public sentiment in Bangladesh which may in turn impact the ongoing efforts of the two countries in further enhancing the relationship between the two closest neighbors,” it added.
The Government of Bangladesh, therefore, would urge upon the Government of India to take immediate steps to ensure that no anti-Bangladesh activity is undertaken by any Bangladeshi national from being in the Indian soil, including not permitting or supporting any such activities in any manner and an immediate closure of the political office(s) of the banned Bangladesh Awami League on the Indian soil, Foreign Ministry said.
After the fall of Awami League government in August last year, many of Awami League leaders, ministers, MPs, and workers including the former minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India for shelter.
Sheikh Hasina is facing multiple cases including culpable homicide in the student-mass uprising against their fascist rule and thousands of people including students, children and women, according to UN report, were killed as the law forcers shot bullets against the innocent people.
In a bid to face the cases at the International Tribunal, the Foreign Ministry sent letter to Delhi to extradite Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh. India, however, did not respond to the letter.
Instead of sending back Sheikh Hasina, the Awami Leaders and workers are continuing their political activities in India, which the interim government described anti-Bangladeshi activity.
The recent report of BBC Bangla reported that Awami League has opened office in India and some leaders are meeting their regularly to continue their activities and to determine what steps can be taken to regroup again.
Even it is reported that the Awami League leaders have different WhatsApp groups and they meet regularly to know what are going on in Bangladesh.
Even Sheikh Hasina sometimes joins these groups and gives directives to the leaders and workers as well.
The interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus is not accepting her remarks from sitting in India.
In April, Chief Adviser Dr Yunus requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop Sheikh Hasina to make inflammatory remarks.
“She is constantly making false and inflammatory accusations against the interim government of Bangladesh. We request that the Indian government to take appropriate measures to restrain her from continuing to make such incendiary statements while she remains in your country,” he said to Modi during the BIMSTEC meeting in Bangkok at that time.
Modi also replied that India does not support any particular party in Bangladesh. He further said that the relationship between the two countries is people-centric.
Despite such remarks from the Interim Government of Bangladesh to India, Awami League, now a banned political party in Bangladesh on May 10 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, is continuing their activities in hiding India and opening offices there for their regrouping.
Following this issue, the Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday urged the Indian government to take immediate steps to close such political offices for the sake of bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, regarding this issue, Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in response to the media queries on Wednesday said, “The government of India is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to India law. The government does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil.”
“The press statement by the Interim Government of Bangladesh is thus misplaced,” he added.
He further said, “India reiterates its expectation that free, fair and inclusive elections will be held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of the people.”