'Live up to...responsibility:' India rebukes Bangladesh over Hindu leader's murder
What's the story
India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest to Bangladesh over the abduction and murder of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent leader of the Hindu minority in northern Bangladesh. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) slammed the interim government of Muhammad Yunus for not protecting minority communities. "This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity," India's MEA said.
Incident details
Details of the abduction and murder
The statement further reminded Dhaka once again to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. His wife told the Daily Star that Roy was at home when he received a phone call around 4:30pm on Thursday. Half an hour later, four men arrived on two motorcycles and abducted Chandra from his Dinajpur's Biral upazila house. Witnesses saw him being taken to Narabari village and brutally beaten up. His unconscious body was later brought back in a van.
Political response
Congress president criticizes Modi-Yunus meeting
Reacting to Roy's murder, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said PM Narendra Modi's recent meeting with Muhammad Yunus was "ineffective," as proven by the Hindu leader's murder. "In Bangladesh, religious minorities, especially our Hindu brothers and sisters, are continuously facing atrocities," Kharge said in a statement. "The brutal murder of a prominent Hindu community leader, Mr Bhabesh Chandra Roy, is evidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cordial meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Advisor has failed."
Attack statistics
Kharge cites rise in attacks on Hindus
Kharge also quoted Indian parliamentary data, which said there have been 76 attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh in just the last two months, killing 23. He also alleged similar attacks on other religious minorities were ongoing. A report released by Dhaka-based human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra (AsK) last month said there have been 147 cases of vandalization of the Hindu community across Bangladesh.