'India Had Obligation to Show That It Will Help A Friend in Need': Tharoor to News18 on Hasina Situation

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. (File Image/PTI)

The Congress MP added that Sheikh Hasina staying in India indefinitely will complicate matters as Bangladesh will see this as harbouring somebody who is hostile to it

India absolutely had the obligation to show that if a friend is in need, it will help, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said on Friday, referring to Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The Awami League leader resigned and fled to India on August 5 after unprecedented student-led protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Speaking about the current situation in the neighbouring country and that of the Hindus there in an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, Tharoor said, “We had information about temple attacks, attacks on Hindus, and several others. There has been a strongly anti-Hindu undercurrent in some of the early days of the anarchy that accompanied the departure of Sheikh Hasina. But there are also some stories of Bangladeshi people supporting and helping Hindu families. Stories of reassurance. Muhammad Yunus has twice met Hindu minority leaders and that is a way to show that you belong here. The situation has improved now and it was also not that bad even earlier.”

Around 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death count to more than 600 since the massive protest by students first started in mid-July.

An interim government is at the helm right now with 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus its chief adviser.

“Sheikh Hasina cracked down on militants, ISI running rampant, and against all that posed a lot of risk for India. She even handed over some militants to India. If you don’t show gratitude for that kind of support, then why will anyone help you in the future?” Tharoor told News18. “So India had absolutely the obligation to show that if a friend is in need, India will help. Yes, it will complicate matters if she stays here indefinitely as Bangladesh will see us harbouring somebody who is hostile to them, but it all depends on how Hasina will conduct herself.”