- 2 months ago
This edition of To The Point examines the escalating violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, highlighted by the recent lynchings of Amrit Mandal and Dipu Chandra Das.
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00:00Two Hindus lynched in just a week.
00:06But UNIS government still living in denial.
00:14Deepu Das and Amrit Mandal.
00:17How many more?
00:22MEA condemns targeting of Bangladeshi Hindus.
00:25We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Maimane Singh
00:30and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice.
00:36Outraged Indians protest against atrocities.
00:43How long will Bangladeshi Hindus live in fear?
00:47Big focus on To The Point.
00:48India has condemned the brutal murders of two Hindu youths in Bangladesh,
00:57calling it worrisome and flags rising atrocities against minorities in the neighbouring country.
01:04That's our top story at this hour.
01:07But first up, here's what's making the headlines right now.
01:10The Ministry of External Affairs responds to viral video of Lalit Modi and Vijay Maliya.
01:20India condemns the brutal murders of two Hindu youths in Bangladesh, has called it worrisome.
01:25The Ministry of External Affairs responds to viral video of Lalit Modi and Vijay Maliya
01:36towards India with a VR, the biggest fugitive's message.
01:41India says committed to bringing them back and process is underway.
01:45The big India Today impact on Delhi's PUC expose.
01:55Over 100 polluting buses impounded 28 in a day.
01:5928 Delhi PUC centres suspended after the coverage.
02:04Crackdown on PUC centres happens after the India Today stories.
02:09It's killer negligence in Canada hospital.
02:18Indian man made to wait for eight hours and then he dies.
02:23Hospital ignored Prashant's chest pain complaint.
02:26Urander storms into the thousand crore worldwide club.
02:40It has now become the highest grossing movie of 2025.
02:56Our top story, in just one week, two Hindu men have been lynched in Bangladesh.
03:04Two lives brutally erased.
03:06Not in a war zone, not in chaos, but in plain sight.
03:10First it was Deepu Das and now Amrit Mandel.
03:14On December 24th, around 11pm, 30-year-old Amrit was lynched by a mob in Rajbari district of Bangladesh.
03:20Police officials said Samrat had at least two cases registered against him, including a murder case.
03:30Cops allege that Amrit, also known as Samrat, was involved in criminal activities
03:34and used to extort money by threatening people in the area.
03:39But are these just mere excuses?
03:41Questions remain about repeated incidents of more violence and lack of intervention
03:46by the interim government of Muhammad Yunus.
03:49Several protests have erupted in India as well, demanding justice for Bangladeshi Hindus.
03:54In fact, today the Ministry of External Affairs expressed grave concern
03:58over unremitting hostility against minorities in the neighboring country.
04:04How many more deaths will it take for the Yunus government before this
04:08and before this entire targeted violence actually ends?
04:13Here's a detailed report and then I bring in the guests.
04:19Another Hindu lynched in Bangladesh.
04:2230-year-old Amrit Mandel was beaten to death by a group of villagers in Rajbari district on December 24th.
04:30The local police claimed that the attack was not communal and accused Amrit Mandel of extortion.
04:36This is the second such incident in just a week, where a Hindu has been brutally murdered by mobs in Bangladesh.
04:43On December 18th, 27-year-old Deepu Chandradas was thrashed to death.
04:50His body was tied to a tree and set ablaze.
04:55Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina condemned atrocities on Hindus
04:59and lashed out at the Muhammad Yunus government.
05:02Protest broke out in India condemning the crimes against Hindus in Bangladesh.
05:11Well, after Deepu Das killed in Bangladesh and several atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh,
05:18right now the Visho Hindu Padishad as well as Hindu Shanghati and other Hindu organizations
05:24are on the streets of Kolkata, hitting the streets of Kolkata,
05:28towards the Bangladesh High Commission Office and towards the Bangladesh Embassy in Kolkata.
05:35The government will protect the Bangladesh's authority of a thousand police officers
05:42and put the police on the streets of Kolkata.
05:47There will not be 100 million Hindus in India.
05:51There will not be 100 million Hindus in India.
05:53There will be 100 million Hindus in India.
05:54There will be 100 million Hindus in Bangladesh.
05:55Actor Janvi Kapoor termed lynching of Hindus in Bangladesh barbaric
06:00and slammed the hypocrites for speaking out over Gaza and ignoring Bangladeshi Hindus.
06:08Actors Kajal Agarwal and Jaya Prada also spoke out,
06:11calling the incidents an embarrassment to humanity.
06:15The Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over attacks on Hindus
06:20and urged Yunus government to punish the perpetrators.
06:24The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh,
06:29including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists at the hands of extremists,
06:34is a matter of grave concern.
06:37We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Maimane Singh
06:41and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice.
06:46Since August 2024, when mass protests forced
06:50then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to quit and flee to India,
06:54Hindus have been suffering in Bangladesh.
06:57Over the next one year, at least 55 Hindus were murdered
07:01and 192 temples attacked.
07:05Vita Shetosh Mishra and Anirban Sinha Roy,
07:08Bureau Report, India Today.
07:10Joining me first on the show is Mohibul Hassan Chaudhary,
07:18former Education Minister in Sheikh Hasina's Cabinet.
07:22Mr. Chaudhary, appreciate your time.
07:24The UNO's government continues to downplay the lynching of Hindus,
07:29even as outrage mounts across the subcontinent.
07:32You have seen several influencers speak about it.
07:36Do you believe, Mr. Chaudhary, that this reflects administrative weakness
07:40or is it political indifference towards minority safety in Bangladesh?
07:48It's neither.
07:50Not just administrative weakness or political indifference.
07:55It is actually instigated by the ruling regime there.
08:02So, it is the same administration that we were in charge of for 15 years
08:09and we have kept the country stable.
08:11Law and order was in proper condition.
08:15Minorities were safe.
08:19Not just the minorities, the majorities also lived in harmony
08:22with the minorities and terror network inside Bangladesh was non-existent.
08:27Since taking over the charge of the state illegally,
08:31UNO's regime had been categorically attacking India for no reason.
08:38And in order to instigate local communal forces,
08:43they were complaining about India for absolutely absurd reasons,
08:51starting from flood to food prices and anything that happens within the country.
08:58His advisors, his ministers go out there in the public podium
09:04and start complaining about India.
09:06And it's not just that in the last couple of days,
09:10we've seen two horrific deaths.
09:12He had imprisoned, from my constituency, a prominent Hindu priest, Chinmoy Mahaprabhu,
09:22just because he was part of Ishkon
09:24and he called for protection of Sanatan followers in the country.
09:32And just because of that, he had been in prison for the last 14 months
09:36without any trial, without any bail, and he's an ailing person in the prison.
09:43So UNO's regime wants to stoke this communal riot.
09:48I mean, they have tried several times with the help of other extremist elements
09:52to stoke communal riot in the country.
09:55They failed because people, by and large, did not take part in large-scale violence.
10:00But these are target killings, I would say.
10:03They are being instigated by his ministers.
10:05Unless we see an end of this criminal regime,
10:09I do not see any peace coming in the coming days.
10:12So you are saying that this is instigation by the current government in Bangladesh.
10:17So what really will be the solution?
10:19And why do you think this entire anti-Hindu narrative
10:25being peddled by, allegedly, as you say, by Muhammad Yunus' government?
10:30Because he has failed domestically completely.
10:37The law and order situation is totally out of control.
10:40The country is in anarchy.
10:41Inflation is high.
10:43Job loss is at its highest level.
10:46So he's looking for escape goods.
10:47And he's constantly blaming India.
10:51And some of the demagogues that he had been patronizing were saying that Awamilic activists,
11:00the Sanatana followers, Hindu people inside the country, are agents of India.
11:04So that is how he's portraying us.
11:07Hundreds of thousands of our activists, Hindu, Muslim, including, they're all in the prison.
11:13So he's targeting all kinds of minorities.
11:15Also in the Hill region, the ethnic minorities are under attack.
11:18Even the liberal Muslims, the shrines have been desecrated.
11:24So the guy just wants a scapegoat.
11:28Even to the international media, he went out there and complained that apparently India
11:33is portraying him as a Taliban leader, which India has never done.
11:37I mean, not to our knowledge, of course, or to the public's knowledge.
11:40But the man is putting the country in complete chaos.
11:44OK, so he is trying to look for an scapegoat.
11:47And that potential scapegoat appears to be India at the moment.
11:51And Mr. Chawjee, before I let you go, how do you view and how does your party view
11:56Tariq Rahman's return narrative?
11:59His speech that he gave, in which he famously said, I have a plan,
12:04especially when many in Bangladesh are fearing it could reopen deep-walt lines
12:09which have been left behind after Sheikh Hasina's ouster.
12:13Well, it is still somewhat of a political move in a sense that as his party is allowed to be active
12:27in the country, he was allowed to hold a large procession.
12:32And it is in a one-sided manner.
12:34They are given full political space by the Yunus regime.
12:38We would say it is just a continuation of what was going on.
12:45There is some indication that, you know, they will be sort of dragged into mainstream politics and election.
12:56So it is going to be a one-sided election.
12:59But even if it is so, it is somewhat of a political transition.
13:03A political government in place still takes away these radical extreme elements from the political scene.
13:11So, but then again, how can you trust a man who 17 years back was involved in assisting militant separatists from India
13:21and arming them and causing all kinds of trouble for Indian Northeast to the, you know, rest of the rest of India?
13:29So how, I mean, what is his plan? No one knows.
13:32We only hope that his plan is to bring some kind of a reconciliation.
13:37He had been patronizing militant elements within the country.
13:41Okay.
13:41He, with his assistance and instruction, grenades were charged against our leader Sheikh Hasina in the past.
13:49All right.
13:50Mrs. Chaudhuri, I appreciate your time.
13:52Thank you for joining us here on India today.
13:54Let me bring in our second newsmaker now, Kaval Sibbal.
13:58He's a former Indian ambassador to France, Russia, Egypt, Turkey.
14:04Ambassador Sibbal, India has expressed growing concern over targeted violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
14:11Should New Delhi now perhaps recalibrate its engagement with the UNUS administration,
14:17or should we continue to be circumspect and wait and watch as we have been doing so far?
14:23I think we have to wait and watch.
14:27The situation is difficult.
14:30We have to ensure that it does not go out of hand for us, geopolitically speaking.
14:36Bangladesh is moving very close to Pakistan.
14:39They're giving a lot of space to the ISI, to the Pakistan military.
14:44And down the road, this can cause problems to us.
14:48Because in the past, insurgents have been sheltered by Bangladesh.
14:55And I've been involved in discussions on this matter with the Bangladesh side when the BNP government was in power.
15:01I was foreign secretary, so I have a little idea about what the problems are.
15:06On the other hand, apart from, of course, expressing our deep concern at what is happening,
15:14because there will inevitably be repercussions on our bilateral ties,
15:19because this is a very sensitive subject.
15:22As it is, the population of Hindus in Bangladesh has dwindled over the years.
15:28And this happens only when there is insecurity,
15:31when they don't feel totally comfortable in their environment.
15:34They leave the country and come to India.
15:37Now, if this kind of a thing goes on, as well it could,
15:43then there will be a lot of pressure on the Hindu community.
15:46And we may see more migration, more incidents of this kind.
15:49Now, the thing is that the manner in which Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted
15:54through street power, by mobilization of hostile, anti-Indian elements,
16:04Jamaat-e-Islami and others.
16:06So, there is a problem on the ground.
16:08And Kunis is not in a position, frankly, to control this.
16:13Whatever his personal inclinations and ideology or whatever else which is suspect,
16:19on top of that, he's not an administrator.
16:22He's just been parachuted there by the West to take control over Bangladesh,
16:28because he was a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
16:31And Clinton and others have been favoring him.
16:33And therefore, they thought that he could be a good man for them.
16:38When I say they, I mean the United States and the West in general.
16:41So, his ineptitude is showing and he's defending himself constantly by denying that there are problems on the ground.
16:53And that also erodes his credibility.
16:55Okay.
16:56Ambassador Sibir, if you heard what the former education minister had to say on my show,
17:02he went on to say that this is perhaps an attempt at instigation by the current regime,
17:09because they are looking for scapegoat, trying to hide their own failures.
17:14And that scapegoat could be the entire, and that's the reason why this entire anti-Indian, anti-minority sentiment is being fanned.
17:26Yes, I think there is some truth in that.
17:29And Pakistan on the sidelines will stoke even more sentiments of this kind and anti-Indian feelings in the country,
17:37because they will gain from this.
17:39And maybe there are some other powers also who would be interested in making sure that Bangladesh remains a problem for us.
17:47After all, why was Sheikh Hazina not only removed, but there is actually no cognizance being taken
17:58by those who put units in power of what is happening to the minorities in Bangladesh.
18:04There is no word of condemnation.
18:07Hadi was killed, and then the UN Human Rights Commission and the Western Embassies in Dhaka issue a lot of statements.
18:14But when it comes to protection of minorities and all this, complete silence.
18:18So one can see what are the forces at work.
18:22After all, India had a hand in the creation of Bangladesh against the wishes of certain countries.
18:27And therefore, they would be interested in some ways to make sure that the Bangladesh does not come into the Indian orbit again,
18:38because they may have their own geopolitical interests and keep us under pressure.
18:43So there is a problem on the ground.
18:45Now, the point is that they have banned the Avami League from participating in the elections in February.
18:53So a large percentage of the population is actually being disenfranchised, rectally.
18:59And since I'm sure the Hindus were in the large majority supporting the Avami League,
19:06so they have also become targets of these hostile elements,
19:10these Islamic elements who are running the roost in Bangladesh currently.
19:16The short point is when the whole country got destabilized as a result of street rioting
19:22and went out of control, it will be very difficult for the Bangladesh government to restore law and order
19:30unless the military comes in, they take over power in the country and impose martial law,
19:37do something like that to control this.
19:39But that is not happening.
19:40Now, I think the elections are going to unleash even more violence in the country
19:44and this will make the Hindu minority even more vulnerable, I'm afraid.
19:48Okay, my last question to you, before I let you go, Ambassador,
19:52what implications do you see for India-Bangladesh ties
19:56if Dhaka fails to control this visible sectarian drift?
20:02It's very bad, both for Bangladesh and for India,
20:07because we want a stable and friendly Bangladesh.
20:10We invested enormous amounts, enormous amounts of aid and development,
20:14assistance and power and everything else that we did in terms of
20:21making sure that Bangladesh remained a friendly country.
20:26Now, that whole thing is being reversed, to my mind, quite foolishly,
20:31because at the end of the day, Bangladesh cannot antagonize and should not antagonize India
20:36and whatever has been achieved on the ground must be preserved.
20:41But there is lawlessness and the Islamic elements have come to the fore.
20:44They, in fact, are actually denying the liberation movement as such.
20:49They're calling it, they're going against that,
20:52they're burning all the symbols of the liberation movement
20:56and they're making friends with the country and the armed forces of Pakistan,
21:00which was responsible for the genocide in Bangladesh.
21:04So, there's a bigger problem in Bangladesh.
21:07And as part of that problem, the Hindu minority will suffer
21:11and India-Bangladesh relations will suffer unless, at some stage,
21:16there is reckoning in Bangladesh of the political class and everybody
21:19that they have to maintain good ties with India.
21:22Now, BNP fellow Tariq Rahman has come back.
21:26In the past, as you know, he had been involved in gun running in Bangladesh
21:30in order to supply arms to these servants and this and that.
21:34And the BNP doesn't have a good record.
21:36On the other hand, BNP is a political force on the ground.
21:40And if in the elections they manage to win power,
21:44then they may be interested in stabilizing the situation
21:47and reach out to India to see if relationship can be put back on an even keel.
21:52All right, Ambassador Sibbul, always a pleasure listening to you
21:58and getting your perspective.
21:59Thank you so much for joining us.
22:01Let me bring in my guests now.
22:02Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson of the BJP, joins us.
22:05Monajeet Mandel is a political analyst who is pro-TMC.
22:08Mohamed Kamdouzama is a journalist from Bangladesh.
22:11Fahim Ashroor is a civil society activist.
22:15He joins me from Bangladesh as well.
22:17Ms. Verma, I really appreciate your time and thank you for your patience.
22:19Does the situation in Bangladesh, especially the attacks on Hindus,
22:24vindicate the BJP's earlier warnings about the safety of minorities
22:28in the neighboring countries and the need for laws like CAA?
22:34You know, Maria, that's a very pertinent question.
22:37And I'm so glad that the MEA spokesperson today has very categorically
22:42called out the bluff of the Mohammed Yunus government.
22:46We've specifically said that over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities,
22:51including cases of killings, arson and land grabbing,
22:54have been documented by independent agencies.
22:57You know, and I think the most telling statement from the Modi government
23:01is that we are not only closely monitoring the situation,
23:06but this unremitting violence is a matter of grave concern.
23:09And I think necessary steps will be taken.
23:12Just dismissing this as an exaggeration or political violence or isolated incidents,
23:17you know, is sort of trying to shove the uncomfortable truth under the carpet.
23:22But I think the more important point is this,
23:24that the Modi government's stand on CAA has been resoundingly vindicated.
23:29Don't forget, Maria, in 2019 when the CAA was passed,
23:32it was done with a thumping majority of 311 versus 8080 votes in the Lok Sabha.
23:39And even in the Rajya Sabha, we passed the bill with 125 to 105 votes.
23:45Despite that, despite getting a thumping majority in parliament,
23:49the opposition went hammer and tongs of the Modi government saying,
23:53oh, ye toh bill bulldoze karke pass karvaya gaya.
23:56And the limited point is, I always say the problem is with radical Islamist terror elements.
24:04But more importantly, the problem is with those people who give intellectual cover fire
24:10to radical Islamists and are scared to call out their bluff.
24:14This is not just a law and order situation.
24:17Be it Amrit Mandal or before that Deepu Das,
24:19you know, or before that Chinmaya Prabhu who continues to be incarcerated.
24:23The problem is that there is a Hindu phobic government
24:28which has been trying to shove uncomfortable truths under the carpet.
24:31But now the Modi government has cracked the whip.
24:34One nine, 19,000 Indian nationals have been brought back safely from Bangladesh,
24:40including Indian origin students to India.
24:43And Riaz Hamidullah, the Bangladeshi high commissioner in less than 10 days
24:47has been told off by the Indian authorities twice.
24:51And let's see how the situation evolves.
24:52But certainly Bangladesh is not sending a good message.
24:57And I think, you know, they will have to face the consequences.
25:00What those consequences will be, let's wait and watch.
25:03Yeah.
25:04Before I bring in the voices from Bangladesh, a word from Manajit Mandal as well.
25:08Manajit, the TMC was among the parties which has often accused the center
25:12of using Bangladesh-related issues to polarize Bengal politics.
25:17With protests breaking out today, do you still believe the concerns over minority violence are being exaggerated?
25:23No, I think it is BJP's government.
25:29This particular crisis hasn't happened in one single day or a month.
25:32This was happening for the last two years.
25:34It went out of hand in July, August last year.
25:38And the Modi government just watched it out and nothing else.
25:42They didn't do anything.
25:44Even when Biden government was there, Modi did not do anything.
25:47Because we know why this crisis was brewing in Bangladesh.
25:50It is because of a particular stretch of land called the Martin Island.
25:54This is one of the contentious issues.
25:56And Mr. Modi could have, you know, taken it up with his friend in Bidden.
26:01And even thereafter, when the government changed in the United States of America,
26:05he did not do it.
26:06He just silently watched these things to happen.
26:08No, but why should...
26:09No, no, no.
26:10But then he would have been accused of being party in a country's foreign policy,
26:17in the domestic affairs of a country.
26:19Yeah, what I'm saying is this.
26:21When it comes to the foreign policy in this particular case,
26:25and even in the beginning of the show that you have showed,
26:28these two fugitives are arrogantly showing that,
26:31yes, we are fugitives.
26:33That's also resoundingly talking about the failure of the foreign policy
26:37of this particular government.
26:38Okay, you're seeing this as a failure of the foreign policy.
26:43Sanju, quickly respond to that.
26:44...and saying that we are decoyers, but you can't catch us.
26:48What is the failure?
26:49This is not a failure of the government?
26:50Sanju Varma.
26:52Sanju Varma.
26:53Let's have a two video of both the guests here.
26:56Yes.
26:56Maria, I'm amused.
26:58I'm no longer shocked at the hypocrisy of the radical left,
27:02the Congress and Trinamul Congress, Darbaris.
27:05You know, they have been weeping for the last so many years,
27:07saying, hey, CAA is anti-Muslim.
27:09You know, and today, this is the same.
27:11It has got nothing to do at CAA.
27:13I did not heckle you.
27:14Do not justify CAA because violence is happening.
27:16Can I finish?
27:17No, no, no.
27:18I did not heckle Maria.
27:18You can't justify CAA because violence is happening in neighboring countries.
27:22Keep shouting.
27:22Hanujit Mandal, let us speak now, please.
27:25Yes.
27:26I did not interject.
27:27Otherwise, don't have me on the show.
27:28Yes, please.
27:29Go ahead, ma'am.
27:30This is about CAA because when the CAA was passed in 2019,
27:36the left radical Darbaris ecosystem,
27:39including Congress and Trinamul Congress,
27:41said that, you know, the Modi government is doing something
27:44which is against the basic premise of the Constitution.
27:47This is against Article 14.
27:49This is against Article 15.
27:51This is anti-Muslim.
27:52Whereas we said we are simply giving citizenship rights
27:55to persecuted Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jains
27:58from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
28:01No Muslim, his or her citizenship has been revoked since 2019
28:07and between then and now.
28:09Tell me one Indian Muslim who has had his citizenship revoked
28:13and this lot today is shedding crocodile tears.
28:16Okay.
28:17Let me bring in Kamruz Zama and Fahim Mashroor.
28:23Mr. Kamruz Zama, on the ground in Bangladesh,
28:25how real is the fear among Hindus?
28:27And is the UNUS administration doing enough to check the wave of mob attacks
28:32and hate campaigns on social media?
28:35Thank you very much for having me.
28:37Actually, the last couple of months, I talked on this issue so much.
28:42The fact is that just think in Bangladesh,
28:46nearly 10% are Hindus and 90% Muslims.
28:51And there are some other little minorities.
28:53So, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina, there are some political violences.
28:58Even in inter-party clashes, in the big political party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party,
29:05more than 200 people were killed.
29:07And there are also some other incidents.
29:09But the fact is that you, I don't know whether the source of your information,
29:15most of the cases, whenever anything happens on the minority Hindu,
29:20you try to narrate it in a different way.
29:24Exactly the real fact is not that.
29:27Sometimes, some political incidents, or sometimes, of course,
29:30it's, of course, condemnable.
29:32But in a larger scale, as you are narrating,
29:35the ground unity is not that.
29:37Okay, so what exactly?
29:38No, no, no.
29:39Since you are saying it is being narrated,
29:42we have a reporter on the ground
29:43who has spoken to the members of the minority community
29:47and they have communicated their fear.
29:49So, it is not misplaced.
29:51The fear is real.
29:52Yes, I'm also a field reporter.
29:54I'm also a field reporter.
29:56All the time, I'm on the ground.
29:58Yes, of course, there are, I already mentioned,
30:00there are some incidents.
30:01But whenever in case of any Hindu,
30:04Bangladeshi government, Bangladeshi people,
30:06we don't make difference between Hindu and Muslims.
30:09We all are the citizens of this country.
30:10So, whenever any human rights violation happens,
30:13we treated as a citizen,
30:15on a citizen of the Bangladeshi people.
30:17But we, you, most of the time,
30:20try to find out Hindu issues.
30:22So, people are confused seeing the narrative.
30:26The ground unity is not that.
30:28Even there are so many festivities among the Hindus still now.
30:32So, it's about a citizen issue,
30:36a human rights issue, Sanju Varma,
30:38not a minority issue.
30:40You know, I want to tell the panelists from Bangladesh
30:44that when Bangladesh was formed,
30:47the Hindu population in Bangladesh
30:48was 7.65 crore people.
30:52And do you know, Mario,
30:53what is the Hindu population today?
30:55It has dramatically written down
30:58to 1.13 crore people.
31:01And this is not just about Hindus.
31:03The Christian population was 200,000 in Bangladesh
31:06during its formation.
31:08Today, there are just 8,000 Christian families in Bangladesh.
31:13And this is not me rattling off statistics.
31:15Read the latest report by Pew Research,
31:17which is a globally renowned,
31:19you know, data-centric firm.
31:21And the other thing I want to say,
31:23is the killing of Deepu Das and Amrit Mandar
31:25about human rights violation?
31:27Yes.
31:28But more importantly,
31:29it is about rabid Hindu phobia.
31:32Is the Muhammad Yunus government Hindu phobic?
31:35Yes.
31:35Simply because he was a Nobel laureate
31:37that does not give him a free pass
31:39to be incompetent
31:41and allow Hindus being slaughtered
31:43under his long and incompetent nose.
31:45I am saying that in as many words to you.
31:48Okay.
31:48Muhammad, come to Zama.
31:49Will you respond?
31:52But I didn't hear your speakers.
31:54Can you please?
31:55I didn't.
31:55I hear only you.
31:57So what she said,
31:58can you please tell me briefly?
31:59Okay.
32:00So that I can reply.
32:01No, no.
32:01I'll move on to someone else
32:02because it's a long reply that she has given.
32:04But Fahim Mashroor come in on this.
32:06Mr. Mashroor,
32:07as someone active in civil society,
32:09what explains this systematic failure
32:12in preventing such communal violence?
32:14Is it a question of weak institutions
32:16or a deliberate political narrative
32:19being pushed from the top?
32:21Your political opponents,
32:23I mean, political opponents
32:24of the interim government
32:26are also saying the same.
32:28These are ministers of Sheikh Hasina's cabinet
32:31who are of the opinion
32:32that Muhammad Yunus
32:34has actually instigated this violence.
32:38Thanks for having me.
32:40I think that you will probably
32:42mostly disagree with what I say.
32:44First of all,
32:45I vehemently oppose the term
32:47that communal violence is there.
32:51And you mentioned about two incidents
32:53about Dipudash and Omrit Mondal.
32:55You need to distinguish
32:56between the two cases.
32:58Omrit Mondal,
32:58who was unfortunately killed today,
33:01that was nothing to do
33:02with communal violence.
33:04First of all,
33:05because this was a local
33:08law and order situation
33:09and of course,
33:10most condemnable,
33:12no one can be killed,
33:13whether it is a Muslim or Hindu.
33:15Number one,
33:15Dipudash case was exception
33:17and all countries
33:19with the civil society
33:20and all the people
33:22in the country
33:23are really ashamed
33:24of what happened to Dipudash
33:25and there was
33:26some communal aspect
33:28in this thing
33:29and the government
33:30has actually taken full cognizance
33:32and they have already arrested.
33:34You have to understand
33:35that even in India,
33:38there are hundreds of
33:39communal incidents
33:40that happen.
33:43and it is not always
33:45that government
33:45is actually behind
33:47those things.
33:48Likewise,
33:48in Bangladesh also...
33:50No, no,
33:50these false equivalences
33:52should not be drawn here,
33:54Mr. Mashroor.
33:55I am asking specifically
33:57about Bangladesh
33:58because your own leaders
33:59are speaking about it.
34:02Whom you are talking about?
34:04Just a few minutes ago
34:05we had Mr. Chaudhary
34:07I heard that.
34:07I heard that
34:08the leader
34:09was representing
34:12Sheikh Hasina
34:13who has fled to India
34:14and probably
34:15that leader
34:16you have interviewed
34:17has also fled to
34:18Sheikh Hasina
34:19who have actually
34:20Sheikh Hasina
34:21and her government
34:23actually killed
34:24over 1,500 people
34:27in only 30 days
34:29in July and August
34:30last year.
34:31So,
34:31they will actually
34:33say a lot of things
34:34to instigate
34:35and also unfortunately
34:36to draw attention
34:38to Indian government
34:39who has been
34:40actually supporting
34:41the autocratic
34:43Sheikh Hasina
34:43for the last 15 years.
34:45I didn't want
34:45to bring that thing
34:46but there is
34:48of course
34:49an issue
34:50about this
34:51authoritarian regime
34:53being directly
34:54and indirectly
34:55supported
34:56by Indian
34:57hegemonic government.
34:58So,
34:59that has actually
35:00you mentioned
35:00about the anti-India
35:01and anti-Indu thing.
35:04I very mean
35:05to oppose
35:05there is no
35:06anti-Hindu thing
35:06in Bangladesh.
35:07We all
35:08want to leave
35:09in a harmonious
35:12condition
35:12but of course
35:13there is
35:13high level
35:14of anti-Indianism
35:15just because
35:16Sheikh Hasina
35:16has fled to India
35:20and repeatedly
35:21after repeatedly
35:22the government
35:23has requested
35:24Indian government
35:25she has not
35:26been given
35:27back
35:27to Bangladesh.
35:28No, but
35:28Mr. Mushroor
35:29it is only
35:31humane
35:31for India
35:32to give
35:33shelter
35:33to Sheikh Hasina
35:34because that's
35:36what good
35:36neighbours do
35:37good relationships
35:38mean that
35:38why should
35:39India hand over
35:40Sheikh Hasina
35:41to Bangladesh
35:44please go ahead
35:45yes
35:45Sanju Varma
35:46thank you
35:47maria
35:48maria
35:49please
35:49Mr.
35:50Mr. Mushroor
35:51I heard you
35:51maria
35:52I just have
35:52one question
35:53I have
35:55please
35:55I heard you
35:56one question
35:56they say
35:57that the
35:58UNUS government
35:58is not
36:00Hindu phobic
36:00I have
36:01one question
36:02there is a
36:02man called
36:03Chinmay Prabhu
36:04Chinmay Krishna
36:04Das
36:05he was
36:06a member
36:07of the
36:07ISKCON
36:08is ISKCON
36:09banned in
36:10Bangladesh
36:11yes or no
36:12second point
36:13is on the
36:1325th of
36:14November
36:142024
36:15Chinmay Krishna
36:17Das was
36:17arrested on
36:18charges of
36:18sedition
36:19simply for
36:20standing up
36:20for his
36:21Hindu brothers
36:21and sisters
36:22have those
36:23sedition charges
36:24by the UNUS
36:25government
36:25yes or no
36:27yes
36:27Fahim
36:28Mashroor
36:28please respond
36:29so of course
36:30ISKCON is
36:31still not
36:31kind of a
36:32banned
36:32organization
36:33exactly my
36:34point
36:34okay but
36:35with regard
36:36to Chinmay
36:36Das
36:36Gupto
36:37there were
36:37is ISKCON
36:38a terror
36:39organization
36:39no of course
36:40not
36:41why have you
36:41banned ISKCON
36:42why have you
36:43banned ISKCON
36:44give me the
36:44response
36:45is ISKCON
36:46a terror
36:47outfit
36:47is ISKCON
36:49a terror
36:49outfit
36:50why have you
36:52banned ISKCON
36:52is ISKCON
36:54a terror
36:54outfit
36:54say yes or
36:55no
36:56is ISKCON
36:57a terror
36:57outfit
36:58let him
37:00respond
37:00let Fahim
37:01respond
37:01yes
37:02go ahead
37:02with regard
37:05to Chinmay
37:06Das
37:06Gupto
37:06there has
37:07a lot
37:08of ample
37:09intelligence
37:09evidence
37:10that he
37:11was actually
37:12trying to
37:13destabilize
37:14things
37:14and that's
37:15why he
37:16has been
37:16that's a
37:17lie
37:17and there
37:18are
37:18how can
37:19you
37:19you don't
37:20stay in
37:20Bangladesh
37:21how can
37:21you say
37:21that it
37:21is lie
37:22how can
37:24you make
37:24statements
37:25about
37:25India
37:25you don't
37:26stay in
37:26India
37:27how can
37:28you make
37:28statements
37:29against
37:29India
37:29do you
37:30stay in
37:30India
37:30we are
37:31not
37:31we are
37:32just
37:32asking
37:33we are
37:33just
37:34asking
37:34do you
37:35stay in
37:36India
37:36why did
37:38you call
37:39the Modi
37:39government
37:40authoritarian
37:40do you
37:41stay in
37:42India
37:42we are
37:42just
37:43asking
37:43how did
37:45you call
37:45the Modi
37:45government
37:46authoritarian
37:46do you
37:48stay in
37:48India
37:49we have
37:49really come
37:50to the end
37:51of this
37:51discussion
37:52really appreciate
37:56your time
37:56thank you so
37:57much
37:57remember
37:58former
37:59Bangladesh
37:59Prime Minister
38:00Khalid Azia's
38:01son Tariq
38:02Rahman
38:02has returned
38:03to Dhaka
38:04after spending
38:0517 years
38:06in exile
38:07and earlier
38:08today
38:09he visited
38:09his father's
38:11grave in
38:11Dhaka
38:11the Bangladesh
38:12Nationalist
38:13Party
38:13leader
38:14has made
38:15a comeback
38:15ahead of
38:16elections
38:16in February
38:17next year
38:18and is
38:18expected to
38:19play a
38:19major role
38:20with
38:20Sheikh Hasina's
38:21party
38:22which is
38:22the
38:22Avami League
38:23unlikely to
38:24be allowed
38:24to contest
38:25the BNP
38:26could be
38:27the biggest
38:28mainstream
38:28party in
38:29this fray
38:29here's
38:30that report
38:31I'm leaving
38:31you with
38:31this
38:32thanks so
38:32much
38:32for watching
38:33I have
38:36a plan
38:37for the
38:39people of
38:40my country
38:41for my
38:43country
38:43a major
38:45political
38:46shift in
38:47Bangladesh
38:47Tariq
38:49Rahman
38:49the son
38:50of former
38:50Prime Minister
38:51Khalid Azia
38:51returning to
38:52Dhaka
38:53after 17
38:54years of
38:54exile in
38:55London
38:55upon
39:01arrival
39:02he removed
39:02his shoes
39:03and reverently
39:04touched the
39:04soil of
39:05his homeland
39:05the BNP
39:13leader and
39:14political heir
39:15of Khalid Azia's
39:16party was
39:17greeted by a
39:17sea of
39:18supporters
39:19he held
39:21a massive
39:21roadshow
39:22Tariq
39:29Rahman
39:29then spoke
39:30with interim
39:30government
39:31advisor
39:31Mohammed
39:32Yunus
39:32in his
39:38first address
39:38Rahman
39:39recalled
39:39Bangladesh's
39:40liberation
39:41in 1971
39:42and the
39:43mass
39:43protests
39:43of 2024
39:44he condemned
39:46the murder
39:46of Osman
39:47Hadi
39:47calling him
39:48a brave
39:48leader
39:48and promise
39:49that a
39:50new
39:50young
39:51generation
39:51will
39:51lead
39:52the
39:52country
40:18born in
40:241967
40:25the son
40:26of former
40:26presidents
40:27Yaw
40:27Rahman
40:27and Khalid
40:28Azia
40:28Tariq
40:29Rahman
40:29is the
40:30acting
40:30chairman
40:30of the
40:31Bangladesh
40:31Nationalist
40:32Party
40:32he started
40:33his political
40:34career at
40:3523
40:35and led
40:36BNP
40:36in the
40:371991
40:37elections
40:38he fled
40:39Bangladesh
40:40in 2008
40:41alleging
40:41persecution
40:42and was
40:43convicted
40:43in
40:44absentia
40:44on charges
40:45of corruption
40:46Tariq's
40:49return was
40:49once
40:49considered
40:50impossible
40:51but
40:51anti-India
40:52sentiment
40:52a change
40:53in government
40:54and pardons
40:55have paved
40:55his way
40:56back
40:56with thousands
40:58on the streets
40:58tensions over
40:59attacks on
41:00Hindus
41:00and Hadi's
41:01murder
41:01and not to
41:02mention
41:02elections
41:03looming in
41:03February
41:04all eyes
41:05are on
41:05Tariq
41:05Rahman
41:06with
41:07Ashutosh
41:07Mishra
41:08in Dhaka
41:08your report
41:09India
41:10today
41:10there is
41:22a concerning
41:22report
41:23which is
41:23coming in
41:23there has
41:24been an
41:24incident
41:25of negligence
41:26at a
41:26hospital
41:26in Canada
41:27which has
41:28claimed the
41:28life of
41:29an Indian
41:29origin
41:30man
41:3044 year
41:31old
41:31Prashant
41:32died
41:32of cardiac
41:33arrest
41:33after
41:34complaining
41:35of severe
41:35chest
41:36pain
41:36and waiting
41:37for at
41:37least
41:378 hours
41:38to deceive
41:39treatment
41:39in another
41:40shock
41:40an Indian
41:41student
41:41was shot
41:42dead
41:42near the
41:43University
41:43of Toronto
41:44see this
41:45report
41:46medical
41:51negligence
41:52dereliction
41:58of duty
41:58and a
42:02life lost
42:03on December
42:0522nd
42:06Prashant
42:07Shree
42:07Kumar
42:07a Canadian
42:08of Indian
42:09Indian
42:09origin
42:09living in
42:10Edmonton
42:11complained
42:12of severe
42:12chest
42:12pain
42:13while at
42:13work
42:14he was
42:16rushed
42:16to the
42:17grey
42:17nuns
42:17hospital
42:18within
42:1920 minutes
42:19there he
42:21was made
42:21to wait
42:218 hours
42:22before he
42:23was given
42:23any treatment
42:24Prashant
42:26told his
42:26father
42:26that he
42:27could not
42:28bear the
42:28pain
42:28he also
42:30conveyed
42:30the same
42:30to hospital
42:31staff
42:31stressing
42:32that his
42:33pain
42:33level
42:33was 15
42:34on a scale
42:35of 10
42:35yet all
42:37that he
42:38reportedly
42:38got
42:39was some
42:39Tylenol
42:40he was told
42:42there was
42:42nothing of
42:43significance
42:43in the
42:44ECG
42:44report
42:45the delay
42:46ultimately
42:47cost him
42:48his life
42:48his wife
42:50shared the
42:50ordeal
42:51so Prashant
42:54Shrikumar
42:55complained
42:56of acute
42:57chest
42:57pain
42:58at 12
42:58o'clock
42:59noon
43:00and he
43:00was brought
43:01to
43:01grey
43:01and
43:01hospital
43:02by 12
43:0315
43:0412
43:0420
43:04he was
43:05sitting
43:06in the
43:06triage
43:06from
43:0712
43:0720
43:08onward
43:08day
43:09about
43:09I
43:09would
43:10say
43:10age
43:1050
43:11on
43:11his
43:11BP
43:12constantly
43:13kept
43:13on
43:13rising
43:14with
43:14the
43:14last
43:14recorded
43:15blood
43:15pressure
43:16of
43:16210
43:17and
43:18he
43:18was
43:18not
43:19given
43:19help
43:19they
43:19said
43:20that
43:20chest
43:21pain
43:21is
43:22not
43:22considered
43:22acute
43:23Prashant
43:24is
43:25survived
43:25by his
43:25wife
43:26and
43:26three
43:26children
43:27Canadian
43:28journalists
43:29came down
43:29heavily
43:30on the
43:30country's
43:31poor
43:31health
43:31infrastructure
43:32we did
43:34not
43:34increase
43:35capacity
43:35in the
43:35medical
43:35field
43:36the only
43:36people
43:37we added
43:37into the
43:38medical
43:38field
43:38in the
43:39last
43:3910
43:39years
43:39are
43:39bureaucrats
43:40to
43:41pretend
43:41we're
43:42adding
43:42more
43:42medical
43:42fields
43:43so
43:43we've
43:43just
43:43made
43:44the
43:44problem
43:44even
43:44worse
43:45by
43:45swamping
43:46a
43:46bureaucracy
43:47onto
43:48a mass
43:48problem
43:48so that's
43:49why people
43:49are dying
43:50in
43:51hospitals
43:51the
43:52challenge
43:52is
43:53mainly
43:53in
43:54the
43:54emergency
43:54room
43:54where
43:55it
43:56is
43:56overcrowded
43:57and
43:58you
43:58have
43:59to
43:59wait
43:5910
43:5912
44:00sometimes
44:0114
44:0216
44:02hours
44:03and
44:04in
44:04the
44:04meantime
44:05if
44:05people
44:05have
44:06this
44:06kind
44:06of
44:06real
44:07emergency
44:08or
44:08acute
44:08problem
44:09they
44:10have
44:11to
44:11face
44:11these
44:11kind
44:11of
44:11consequences
44:12another
44:14shocker
44:14from
44:15Canada
44:15Indian
44:16student
44:16Shivanka
44:17Vasthi
44:18was shot
44:18dead
44:18near the
44:19University
44:19of
44:20Toronto
44:20Scarborough
44:21campus
44:22the
44:23authorities
44:23are probing
44:24the case
44:24as a
44:25homicide
44:25the Indian
44:26embassy
44:26expressed
44:27grief
44:27over the
44:28incident
44:28the
44:29embassy
44:30says
44:30all
44:30necessary
44:31assistance
44:31is being
44:32provided
44:33to the
44:33victim's
44:34family
44:34We are
44:37in touch
44:37with his
44:37family
44:38it's
44:38very
44:38unfortunate
44:39we've
44:39conveyed
44:39our
44:39deepest
44:40condolences
44:40we are
44:41also
44:41in touch
44:42with
44:42local
44:42authorities
44:43as to
44:44what
44:45the
44:45circumstances
44:45etc
44:46that led
44:47to the
44:48death
44:48we'll come
44:48to know
44:49of those
44:49details
44:50more
44:50but we
44:50are in
44:50touch
44:51with
44:51local
44:51authorities
44:51in the
44:52matter
44:52the
44:53threat
44:53to
44:54people
44:54of
44:54Indian
44:54origin
44:55living
44:55in
44:56Canada
44:56has
44:57increased
44:57over the
44:58last
44:58few
44:58years
44:59according
45:00to
45:00journalists
45:00Are
45:02things
45:03getting
45:03a little
45:03bit more
45:04uncomfortable
45:04socially
45:05in
45:05Canada
45:06especially
45:07as it
45:07goes
45:07for
45:07immigrants
45:08particularly
45:08Indians
45:09yes
45:09yes
45:09there's
45:10a
45:11rising
45:11culture
45:12of
45:12you know
45:13anti-Indian
45:14sentiment
45:15being pushed
45:15by
45:16a lot
45:17of different
45:17factors
45:18some of
45:18them
45:18you're
45:19familiar
45:19with
45:19in
45:19India
45:20Canada
45:21which is
45:22home
45:22to
45:22a
45:22large
45:22Indian
45:23origin
45:23population
45:24has
45:25witnessed
45:25several
45:26such
45:26incidents
45:26of
45:27discrimination
45:27and
45:28violence
45:28lately
45:29raising
45:30serious
45:30concerns
45:31with
45:32Pranay Upadhyay
45:33Bureau
45:34Report
45:35India
45:36Today
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