Shillong, Aug 8: While the entire north-eastern region has urged the central government to ensure that no infiltration happens along the region’s international border with Bangladesh due to the political upheaval in the country, former Governor of Meghalaya, Tathagata Roy, has sparked a controversy by asking the Centre to open the borders to allow Hindus in Bangladesh to take refuse in India.

His statement comes following reports of attack on minority communities in Bangladesh such as the Hindus, Christians and other communities that are not part of the majority Muslims.

The attacks come after Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign as the Prime Minister of the country and flee the country. She is currently in India. These attacks have been attributed to extremist Islamists, who were in the opposition of Hasina along with Bangladesh’s chief opposition party – Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former PM Khaleda Zia. Zia, who was in jail for corruption, was released after Hasina left the country. Zia is known to have an anti-India stand and provided safe haven to insurgents of the North East India in her country during her tenure.

India shares a long 4,096 kilometer (2,545 mile) international border with Bangladesh, touching 5 states. Assam shares 262 kilometers, Tripura – 856 kilometers, Mizoram – 318 kilometers, Meghalaya – 443 kilometers, and West Bengal – 2,217 kilometers.

Taking to his account on X (formerly Twitter), the former Meghalaya Governor wrote, “My appeal to the central government: blood-curdling tales of killing and torture of Hindus are coming in from Bangladesh. PLEASE, PLEASE, OPEN THE BORDERS TO HINDUS WHO WANT TO COME IN. Just make sure they are Hindus.”

“We have allowed 20 crores of Muslims to live in India who are having the best of both worlds by courtesy of our ‘secular ethos’! Can’t we permit a crore of our fellow Hindus to come in, even if temporarily? If a BJP-led government cannot do it then who can?” he further said.

My appeal to the central government: blood-curdling tales of killing and torture of Hindus are coming in from Bangladesh. PLEASE, PLEASE, OPEN THE BORDERS TO HINDUS WHO WANT TO COME IN. Just make sure they are Hindus. We have allowed 20 crores of Muslims to live in India who are…

— Tathagata Roy (@tathagata2) August 8, 2024

In another post, he questioned if India was afraid of small nation like Bangladesh despite having 120 crores of Hindus, Sikhs and others. “Are we, a nation of 120 crores of Hindus, Sikhs and others, afraid of a few lungi-clad human garbage from an overcrowded handkerchief-sized country ? If not, then how are we accepting their mass murder in the name of their religion? And why can’t we protect the Sanatanis?” he questioned.

Are we, a nation of 120 crores of Hindus, Sikhs and others, afraid of a few lungi-clad human garbage from an overcrowded handkerchief-sized country ? If not, then how are we accepting their mass murder in the name of their religion? And why can’t we protect the Sanatanis?

— Tathagata Roy (@tathagata2) August 8, 2024

The prominent student and civil bodies from the north eastern region have appealed to the central government as well as respective governments to not allow even a single Bangladesh national to illegally enter India. All the states in the region have already closed their international borders and bolstered security and vigilance on it.

Meanwhile, India has voiced concerns about the incident, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar saying that “what was particularly worrying was that minorities, their businesses, and temples also came under attack at multiple locations.”

Quoting a Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) member, global news agency Reuters reported that 200-300 mainly Hindu homes and businesses had been vandalised since Monday, and 15-20 Hindu temples damaged.

Also Read: Restrictions imposed near India’s borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai

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