India has strongly condemned the killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu community leader in Bangladesh, urging Dhaka to take responsibility for protecting minorities without making excuses or distinctions. Roy, who served as the vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was abducted from his home in Dinajpur and beaten to death on Thursday.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, expressed distress over the incident, calling it part of a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under Bangladesh’s interim government. Jaiswal emphasized that perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free, and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety of all minorities.
India also rejected Bangladesh’s remarks about protecting minority Muslims in West Bengal, calling them disingenuous attempts to draw parallels with India’s concerns over minority persecution in Bangladesh. The MEA reiterated its stance, urging Dhaka to focus on its own issues rather than deflecting attention.
This comes amid communal violence in West Bengal, sparked by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which spread across districts like Murshidabad, Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, involving incidents of arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades. India has urged Bangladesh to address minority safety concerns and ensure justice for victims like Roy.
