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The big focus on this episode of India First is on the spiking tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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00:00New year, new global fires.
00:12Saudi bombs port in Yemen.
00:18Saudi and UAE crossroads in Horn of Africa.
00:25Now tensions spike in Libya.
00:27Saudi-UAE split widens across three fronts.
00:36Parks double game amid regional chaos.
00:442026 begins with world on edge.
00:48The big focus on India first.
00:50Hello and welcome to the first India first broadcast of 2026.
01:00I'm Gaurav Saban.
01:03Wish you and yours a very happy and healthy 2026.
01:08The world in 2026 instead of peace is seeing more conflicts and in different parts of the world.
01:14From spiking tensions between Taiwan and China to escalation between Russia and Ukraine, Iran and Israel.
01:20But our special focus on this broadcast is spiking tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
01:29And that's resulted in Saudi Arabia carrying out an airstrike on military resources sent by the UAE to a faction of the Yemeni forces.
01:38So while Saudi Arabia insists the bombing wasn't supplies meant for rebels, UAE insists these were only vehicles for its forces there.
01:47But let me first quickly give you some details of some of the fires that are being lit or are already lit in different parts of the world.
01:56Let's first talk about the China-Taiwan tensions.
01:59The PLA, that's the Chinese army, the armed forces in China, they've carried out live firing exercises as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2027 goal of being able to achieve a strategic and decisive victory over Taiwan.
02:15So the drills since 2024-2025 incidentally have included testing invasion component exercises and that includes amphibious operations, strikes on either sea or land-based targets, blocking of ports of Taiwan, hitting, they've simulated hitting US forces in the Pacific.
02:35So Beijing is now refining options like coercion or short of war pressure, like perhaps cyber attacks, economic and diplomatic tools or grey zone warfare.
02:45So that's one part of a fire being lit in one part of the world.
02:50The second is the Israel-Iran tensions that are rising once again.
02:54There are reports that say Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presented a plan to US President Donald Trump for a regime change operation in Iran.
03:02There are rising tensions in 21 of 31 regions of Iran with people taking to the streets shouting death to the dictator with Iran's economy and currency collapsing.
03:14Israel wants US assistance in bombing Iran once again.
03:18So tensions are spiking even there.
03:21Russia-Ukraine conflict.
03:22Russian President Vladimir Putin is confident of an absolute victory in Ukraine.
03:27In his New Year's address, President Putin clearly spoke of Russia's confidence and the forces that continue to target now even the vital assets and vital points, not just in the border area or the area where the war is being fought, but also in the capital, Kyiv.
03:45President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine has cautioned a Russian victory would not only mean defeat of Ukraine, but that of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO countries and Europe.
03:57The war on ground is sadly likely to escalate before peace may be found.
04:04There are other tensions, but few expected Saudi Arabia to bomb UAE's resources in Yemen.
04:10Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla.
04:15This happened on the 30th of December after a weapons shipment.
04:18That's what they claimed from the UAE arrived for separatist forces in the Watton country.
04:24Saudi Arabia warned UAE that it viewed its actions as extremely dangerous.
04:30The bombing followed days of tensions over the advance of the separatist forces known as the Southern Transitional Council, which is backed by the UAE.
04:40Now, despite the warning, the council and its allies issued a statement supporting the UAE's presence, even as others allied with Saudi Arabia, demanding that Emirati forces withdraw from Yemen in 24 hours time.
04:53That confrontation has further strained ties between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
04:58Neighbouring nations on the Arabian Peninsula that increasingly have competed with each other over economic issues and for the region's politics, especially and particularly in the wider Red Sea region.
05:10The UAE said on Tuesday it was pulling its remaining forces out of Yemen after Saudi Arabia packed a call for UAE forces to leave within 24 hours.
05:22Now, in a major crisis between the two Gulf powers and oil producers, that tension is visible even over Libya and Somalia.
05:30Some analysts, including those in Pakistan, have argued that Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir may have bitten off more than he can chew, now caught between two major Arab powers.
05:44So, let's try and make sense of these tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE and Pakistan caught in between.
05:54An opportunity for Asim Munir or a threat for Pakistan.
05:59Joining me on India first, Lefton General Syed Atta Hasnain, former Kashmir court commander, someone who watches developments in the region very closely.
06:07Ambassador Anil Thurganyat, former ambassador to Libya, Jordan and Malta.
06:12Dr. Vail Awad is a very well-respected political analyst and a senior international journalist.
06:17Dr. James Dossey is adjunct senior fellow at the Raja Ratnam Institute of International Studies, again an expert on Middle East and counter-terrorism.
06:27Gentlemen, wish you all a very happy new year. Welcome on India first.
06:31Dr. Dossey, your reading of the Saudi Arabia-UAE tensions, has it caught the world quite by surprise, especially the bombing?
06:41Essentially, Saudi and national interests diverge and also their strategies in the region diverge.
06:48Saudi Arabia is first and foremost interested in security. It borders on Yemen. It has a 700-kilometer-long border with Hadramaut, one of the provinces that is currently in play.
07:03And it is once a unified Yemen. Its basic strategy throughout the region is to support legitimately recognized governments, irrespective of whether or not they have failed.
07:19On the other hand, you have the United Arab Emirates, whose strategy is really based on exploiting situations in failed states, whether that is Yemen, whether that is Sudan, whether that is Libya.
07:36And it supports often rebel or secessionist forces in an effort to gain control of key strategic nodes, that is to say ports, nodes of transport, nodes of finance.
07:51And whether or not that is in the benefit of the country in question is not a concern that the UAE considers to any great extent.
08:02Okay. Dr. Awad, the UAE announced a voluntary withdrawal of its remaining counter-terrorism units from Yemen following these Saudi airstrikes in Mokala.
08:14They also cited personal safety and recent developments. But is this a tactical pullback, a strategic repositioning, or has Saudi Arabia shown its supremacy, sir?
08:25Thank you for having me and Happy New Year to you and all your guests and viewers.
08:29In fact, the fact of the matter remained that the Saudis and the Emirati were together in 2015 in the coalition formed by the two governments fighting the Houthis' influence and expansion in Yemen.
08:41And therefore, there was both of them at the same coin side that they are willing to see defeating the Houthis and leaving the legitimate government recognized internationally of Adan, which is supported by Saudi Arabia and Emirates.
08:57But, however, over the years, the Saudis and the Emiratis differ in their strategy and objective.
09:03While Saudi Arabia may look into Yemen as a weak government, there is much better than disintegration of Yemen.
09:10The Emirati had their own groups of supporting inside Yemen, and the differences came to the light, Gaurav, only in 2019 when the Southern Transitional Council, supported by Emirati, fought with the legitimate government of Adan.
09:28And then the Saudis and the Emirati differences smeared over the years, but it was under the ground until the Fujairah incidents happened where the two ships were, as Saudi said, has been bombed.
09:40They have been bombed because they bombed after they dislodged their shipment in al-Mukalla port in Yemen.
09:48Therefore, the Saudi have asked the Emirati to withdraw it in 24 hours.
09:53And I think the Emirati understood the message from Saudi Arabia because this is touching its national interest, and immediately they withdraw.
10:01However, it doesn't mean that they have lost the influence still.
10:04They are very much influential in the Southern, in the SDC, the Southern Transitional Council, and they have quite influence also in many parts of Yemen.
10:13But I think the coming days, it will show more what will be the response from the Saudi toward the Emirati influence there.
10:21Okay. General Hasnain, the fact that Saudi Arabia carried out an airstrike, is that crossing a certain red line?
10:27Is that making a statement? And does that indicate, if not supremacy, but superiority of Saudi Arabia militarily?
10:35Or is this just the first step? There could be retaliation.
10:39It could be in any way, including the proxy reinforcement of forces or rebels by the UAE.
10:46Thank you, Gaurav. First of all, Happy New Year to you and all our viewers, my colleagues on the panel.
10:53This is a very, very fascinating subject, which has not really been discussed anywhere around the world.
10:58Let me try and give a slightly different perspective to it. While we have looked at Yemen, both my previous speakers have spoken about Yemen.
11:06We must also remember that the UAE is not looking at expanding its footprint of influence only in Yemen.
11:13It has gone into Libya. It has gone to Chad. It has gone to Sudan. It has gone to Somaliland.
11:18This entire area of the Red Sea, the lanes flowing through this, the energy flowing through this.
11:24UAE is obviously punching much above its weight and for quite some time.
11:31The Saudis, peeved perhaps to a very great extent, now are looking at pushing back and also seeking their position under the sun in the Gulf politics, in Gulf influence,
11:46which they feel probably is getting diluted by the UAE presence all around.
11:51And this seems to be the point of contention here in Yemen, where the whole thing has come to a head here.
11:58A very strong message is being conveyed by the Saudis that it could lead to physical conflict.
12:06I don't think it will come down to conventional warfare, although at the moment what we are seeing is all the ingredients of a typical hybrid situation.
12:16Proxies, a little bit of air warfare, drugs, you know, looking at shipping lanes and things of that nature.
12:25What we have to remember at the bottom of this entire emerging rivalry is the fact that the Saudis actually look at being what the Emiratis already are,
12:37which is that they are much more influential.
12:40They have a great amount of soft power all over the Middle East and the Gulf region.
12:45This is something that the Saudis aspire for 2030, 2032.
12:51Yes.
12:52So, Ambassador Trigoniad does this show that the Arab world is now divided in more ways than one.
12:56Some argue Israel also has a role to play in this.
12:59There are others who say that Saudi Arabia is very keen.
13:03The power, the economic power, the influence, you know, that's wielded by UAE.
13:09They are now telling Saudi Arabia is telling businessmen to invest in Saudi Arabia, to open offices in Riyadh.
13:16And all of this is just one more way that that war for economic influence is being, you know, out there on the ground this way, sir.
13:26Thank you, Gaurav, and Happy New Year to you and all esteemed panelists as well as to your audience.
13:34This is not something that has happened today.
13:38Since the Arab Spring, we have witnessed that most of these Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Turkey and Egypt, on the other hand, have weaponized their foreign policy.
13:51And as a result of that, now they want to achieve their strategic objectives of controlling various key ports and be maritime powers in that sense.
14:01And that's where the UAE comes into the picture.
14:04UAE went in with Saudi Arabia in 2015 to attack Yemen, to fight the Houthis.
14:09But by 2019, they had decided it was an unachievable objective.
14:13And they walked out of it.
14:15And they follow a very smart diplomacy.
14:17But at the same time, they also have limitations to their power because Saudi Arabia is an acknowledged leader in the region, irrespective of whichever way you look at it.
14:28And Saudi Arabia has also reformed.
14:30Then I would like to say that what we are witnessing in the region is when we have these younger leaders, they are less patient.
14:38But today, of course, the tactical withdrawal, or whatever you may call it, of the counterterrorism forces of UAE, but also the Southern Transition Council has agreed to withdraw from Hyderabad.
14:52So that will take away the immediate escalatory letter out of the scheme of things.
14:59But that doesn't mean it's going anywhere.
15:01You know, recently, it is said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was meeting Trump, and he asked him to rein in the Emiratis in Sudan as a result of that.
15:13So I think that there is going to be a problem.
15:16We have seen what happened in 2017 to blockade of Qatar.
15:20And when Crown Prince wanted to normalize ties with Qatar and lift the blockade, Emiratis were not very happy.
15:26So there is divergence.
15:27That coming to the Israeli question, that is also very much at play there, especially after the Somali land.
15:34So we should not be surprised if Israel or some other country, which are under the influence of Emiratis, could recognize Southern Transition Council tomorrow as the leader of the Sudan Yemen.
15:46So we might see once again…
15:47And where does this leave…
15:48Okay, and I want to bring in, you know, Dr. Dorsey once again into this conversation.
15:52Where does this leave Pakistan?
15:54Pakistan is considered close both to Saudi Arabia and to the UAE.
15:57It depends on both for money.
15:59Pakistan has gone to both the countries with a begging bowl.
16:02And Pakistan has forces deployed for the defense of Saudi Arabia.
16:06Does that put Pakistan on a sticky wicket with UAE, Dr. Dorsey?
16:11Obviously, Pakistan is going to have to walk a fine line.
16:15I do think you have to keep in mind that the Emirati influence in Pakistan has expanded significantly, particularly its economic influence.
16:26You saw the recent plan for part of the loan that the UAE gave to Pakistan to be translated into equity in the Fauci Foundation, which is the entity that controls the Pakistani military's vast interests in the economy.
16:45You've seen the agreement with the Pakistan telecommunications company, the foremost internet and communications company in the country.
16:57The same is true for the ports.
17:00In contrast to China with Gwadar, the UAE has invested in both Karachi and Port Qasim, the most important ports in Pakistan.
17:11So, UAE influence in Pakistan is very significant.
17:16They also just got two mining licenses in Balochistan, something that the Saudis had been eyeing in the past.
17:24So, the Emirati influence in Pakistan is not to be underestimated, and in many ways may be greater than that of Saudi Arabia,
17:33despite the fact that Saudi Arabia signed the defense treaty with Pakistan.
17:39Interesting.
17:40And that defense treaty, Dr. Wailawad, the Saudi-Pakistan military pact would mean Pakistan has to deploy forces to defend Saudi Arabia in case of any escalation with Yemen, additional forces.
17:50So, how do you see this pan out vis-a-vis both now Iran and the UAE at a time?
17:56You know, as Dr. Dorsey pointed out, UAE's financial influences increasing, 4G Foundation shares being taken by UAE,
18:03and the Pakistani military, at least a major part of the co-commanders, they prefer going to Saudi Arabia because of the money that they get there being deployed there every year.
18:13Well, I think the Pakistani have been involved in the Yemeni war, despite the fact that they have denied of sending their own troops into there.
18:21But they have been always supportive of the Saudi's point of view when it comes to the Yemen and when it comes to the safeguard of the kingdom.
18:28Therefore, we know that for always there has been a battalion of the Saudi army inside the monarch, and they have been protecting them over the years.
18:37But, however, of recently this development in Yemen, as I have been listening to the panelists, Gaurav,
18:43I think it's very important to highlight three major points, irrespective of Pakistan's rule.
18:48Pakistan will always be whoever pay more, they will be siding with them.
18:52Therefore, they cannot side away from Saudi Arabia.
18:55But I think the major issue here, the geopolitical importance of Yemen,
18:59where they, because of the global trade, it comes from Bab al-Mandeb and passed into the Red Sea,
19:04where more than 14 percent of the oil trade takes place from there.
19:07And the United States, with Israel, have been advocating of a military bridge between Djibouti and Adan for years,
19:14that they wanted to control this passage.
19:16And they're accusing the Houthis of blocking it after the Israelis' war on Gaza and on the Palestinians.
19:23And then we realized that the elephant in the room is Israel, where they have also recognized the Somali land.
19:29That's also important not to forget the oil field in Hadramut area, which is the bordering Saudi Arabia,
19:36which is around 1,300 kilometers that Saudi having with Yemen.
19:40And they cannot, you know, sacrifice their national security, because the moment Yemen break away, like Somali land,
19:47it has made Saudi Arabia at the verge of collapse, and that is what the Netanyahu government wanted to see,
19:54a total collapse of all the Arab nations that can be disintegrated, and therefore the greater Israel can be achieved.
20:01So that, therefore, the Saudis who are looking for 2030, after 2030, as a leader of the regional country, Arab world,
20:09they wanted to make sure that they are the ones who can safeguard their own interests at first place,
20:15and also safeguard the interests of Yemeni, not to see it as disintegrated,
20:19especially at these geopolitical changes taking so much steps and deteriorating in the Middle East.
20:25Oh, absolutely. And so much's happening just as 2026 begins, Ambassador Trigoniad.
20:31Would this indicate more trouble if I were to come back to our point on where does Pakistan stand in all of this?
20:39Field Marshal Asim Munir has battles on multiple fronts.
20:42Reports say Pakistan, there are many core commanders who are not in favor of deploying a brigade on the Gaza border at all.
20:48Plus now the call to deploy perhaps a division, a division plus in Saudi Arabia.
20:54At least that is what commentators in Pakistan are saying.
20:57What does this mean in your view for Asim Munir?
21:02Gaurav, I maintain that Pakistan has this uncanny ability to encash its nuisance value with anyone and everyone.
21:11Because it's a rentier state. It's available. They have signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia.
21:15And in fact, today itself, they have signed another agreement with Saudi Arabia in the economic domain.
21:20So they continue to work with everybody.
21:23And they are trying to be a little bit an interlocutor right now between UAE and Saudi Arabia so that this doesn't pan out.
21:30You remember the former chief of staff, army staff, Ryan Sharif was heading the coalition forces,
21:36even though Pakistan was not a party to it.
21:39But, of course, it will be walking a thin line if it takes sights.
21:45And at the moment, I don't think it's going to take sights.
21:48It has its own begging ball out to everyone.
21:50But he's ready to support.
21:52And in the meantime, they already committed 25,000 forces and already 25,000 are deployed in Pakistan.
21:58In Saudi Arabia.
21:59In Saudi Arabia.
22:01Pilots are attacking in Yemen.
22:03All the Yemen fight was taken out by the Saudis.
22:07They were getting $7,500 per sortie.
22:10The Pakistani pilots were being paid.
22:12So they have been there.
22:13I mean, I don't see that Pakistan is in docks as far as this particular equation is concerned.
22:19Okay, General Hasnain, given Pakistan's internal situation, whether it's in Khaywar Pakhtunkhwa province or in Balochistan,
22:26tensions along the line of control with India and during line with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan,
22:32can Asim Munir afford to deploy additional forces either in Saudi Arabia or this question of a brigade plus minus on the Gaza border?
22:41Very interesting question, Gaurav.
22:43I remind you that way back in 1981, Pakistan provided two brigades to Saudi Arabia for the protection of the royal family.
22:54And these were ultimately used in the Gulf War also in 1990.
22:58They withdrew in 1991 when India's third strike corps came up in Bhopal.
23:04And that was the time when they were forced to bring back those formations to make up the balance of forces.
23:09Considering the fact that at that time, Afghanistan was not alive, and today the Duran line is on fire virtually,
23:18two of Pakistan's corps, that's both their nine corps and the other seven, I think, 11 corps, which are both there,
23:2911 and 12 corps, which are both deployed on the Afghan border.
23:33But considering that fact, the balance today is very, very evil.
23:39And for Pakistan to pull out troops anything more than a brigade or so will, to my mind, be a bit of a challenge.
23:46But as you said, a division strength is what would be demanded perhaps from Pakistan.
23:52And that will be at some risk if they go ahead and do that.
23:56Okay.
23:57Dr. Dawsey, can Field Marshal Aasem Munir say no to Donald Trump on that issue of deploying forces in Gaza?
24:06And if he were to say no, what would be the consequences?
24:10Yes.
24:11At this point, he wouldn't be the only one saying no.
24:14What you basically is, you have a situation in which a number of countries that have been identified as potential contributors
24:22to an international stabilization force in Gaza have really said that they need to have a clear mandate.
24:29They've also sort of defined what they would like to see that mandate to be.
24:33And they've further also made clear under what conditions they will and will not participate.
24:40So, at this point, Pakistan would be in good company and therefore probably would be in a position in which he could say no or yes, but.
24:50Okay.
24:51Now, in case, let me push this a little further.
24:55In case they were to say no here, but they would have to deploy forces should tension spike in Saudi Arabia,
25:03or that is also something that has already been contained.
25:07The fact that Pakistan has already chosen a side in Libya, does that put Pakistan at odds with the United Nations?
25:15You know, the talk of supplying JF-17 thunders to the rebel forces in Benghazi?
25:20Dr. Dawse?
25:22Essentially, again, I think we've got to go back to that the UAE and the Saudis are very different strategies.
25:31In other words, the United Arab Emirates does not necessarily support the territorial integrity of states.
25:40On the contrary, it is willing to do business and to support secessionist and rebel forces.
25:46That's something the Pakistanis can say no to.
25:49Because for all practical matters, it would be a violation of international law,
25:54because it's a challenge to the sovereignty of a country and to its territorial integrity.
26:01So, I think in those circumstances, yes, the Pakistanis could say no.
26:07Okay.
26:08Ambassador Trigoniad, some say Asim Munir has already sent his family to the United States.
26:13There are co-commanders who are not very happy with him staying on, with Asim Munir staying on as army chief,
26:20along with being chief of defense forces.
26:23Internally, does this mean more trouble or more challenges for Asim Munir?
26:28Of course, he has many challenges, and challenges will come from within, not from without.
26:34So, I believe that he has problems, but at the same time, I mean, if one were to see what is happening in Pakistan
26:41and the way people are looking at it, they have tried to do a good job in communicating to their own people
26:47that Asim Munir has some kind of an invincible fellow.
26:50So, he's riding a bit high on that, and that is something that comes out as an observation.
26:56But he indeed has. I mean, they always go in the same way as his predecessors have gone.
27:01Okay?
27:02General Hasnain, Asim Munir, in one of his speeches, said words to the effect that, you know,
27:09he felt Allah's blessings during Operation Sindur, and that the gods were on his side, or whatever else he may have meant,
27:17and that only the state can issue a fatwa.
27:20What does all of this indicate? Is he fighting on multiple fronts, and he needs more than just his military,
27:29or just his army with him? There are many who say, even within the army, some co-commanders are not in his favour.
27:36There are some in the ISI who are very upset with him, especially after action that's been taken against General Faiz Hamid,
27:41former DGISI. Does that indicate that he's now seeking divine intervention to protect himself?
27:47See, Gaurav, this is a historical thing with the Pakistan army. Every commander who comes there,
27:54ultimately thinks he's God's own, Allah's own. This is what Sia also thought at one time.
28:00In this case of Asim Munir, he's a Hafiz, and he sort of takes advantage of that by quoting all kind of scriptures
28:09in different public gatherings, and has created a persona around himself, an aura of larger than life.
28:16Such personalities, historically, always meet their doom at some stage, and very, very violent doom.
28:24I can tell you, what happened on the 9th of February, 2023 at Lahore, we all remember that.
28:30The kind of incidents which happened there, and which were mishandled even under his command.
28:35And so there are all kinds of things which are going on with the Pakistan army. At the moment, no doubt he has consolidated power.
28:45The kind of perception management he's managed to do as a result of Operation Sindhuur is something which is to his advantage at the moment.
28:55But that is only short term. To my mind, that is only a short term kind of an advantage.
29:00He's tying himself in too many knots internationally. In every direction, if you look, he's tying himself in knots.
29:06Therefore, 2026 may be the year of his doom.
29:10Very interesting. You should predict that 2026 may be the year of doom for Asim Munir.
29:16Dr. Vail Awad, Pakistan and the UAE supporting, you know, the Haftar forces in Benghazi.
29:21And, you know, the Saudi Arabia and UN being in favour of the dispensation in Tripoli, as Dr. James Dawsey was also pointing out.
29:29In the long run or in, you know, as 2026 advances, could this mean more trouble for Pakistan vis-a-vis other Arab nations also and not just the United Nations?
29:40Well, I think, let us be very frank on this point. I think the United States pampering Pakistan again is sudden, is not out of the blue.
29:50Actually, it is also meant that the Pakistani have a rule to play, whether it is in the West Asia, whether it's in the North African affairs, whether it's in the Islamic world.
30:00And that's why we see more prominent alliances between Turkey and Pakistan in many fields and therefore with the Gulf country.
30:09However, if we, as I remember and as I assessed, that the moment the United States put its hand with any country, it will increase and enhance its fall down.
30:20So I think Pakistan, if they do not recognise their national interest, they will be facing the music very soon.
30:26Because involvement with such kind of a scenario of the New World Order or the Middle East New Order is really going to create a mess and Pakistani will be fought against.
30:37That's why they are not sending to Gaza because they don't know the rule and terms and conditions of the international forces in Gaza, what Israel will be dictating against them.
30:46Are they international forces or just assisting Israel and the American against the Palestinians?
30:51So I don't think they are going to play with the sentiment. However, there is also another wider perspective picture.
30:56We need to look at maybe in some other time is the now ending of political Islam is one of the main cards for the United States and the West, including Israel, that they want to end it in the Arab world and in Islamic world.
31:09And therefore, we'll leave that for another day. But would ending political Islam mean the rise of radical Islam or the radical elements?
31:18You know, that's a debate perhaps for another day. But I want to thank all my guests, Dr. Dorsey, Ambassador Trigonead, General Hasnain and Dr. Vail Awad.
31:27As always, many thanks for joining me here on this India First special broadcast. There's breaking news that's coming in.
31:34There's been another chilling attack on a Bangladeshi Hindu and this time it's being reported from Shariapur in Bangladesh.
31:51News is coming in a Hindu businessman was stabbed, then doused in petrol and set on fire by a mob in what appears to be a targeted attack on minority Hindus in Bangladesh.
32:07The victim, Khokon Chandra Das, was returning home after closing his pharmacy for the day when he was stopped, challenged, brutally attacked and then set on fire.
32:20So in a very desperate bid to save his life, he jumped into a nearby pond.
32:26Locals later rushed him to the hospital where he's reported to be in a critical condition.
32:33Now, this is the latest attack, not an isolated, but latest in a series of attacks that have taken place on minority Hindus in Bangladesh.
32:42In the last couple of days and weeks, two more Hindus were targeted.
32:47They were brutally killed in Bangladesh.
32:50On the 24th of December, Amrit Mandal was lynched.
32:54He was beaten to death in Rajbari.
32:57Remember earlier on the 18th of December, one of the most chilling cases in Bangladesh, Deepu Chandra Das, he was lynched by a mob in Mehman Singh.
33:07Back to back killings of Hindus have underscored a very disturbing pattern.
33:11And these raise very urgent questions about how safe are minorities and particularly Hindus in Bangladesh and the lack of accountability and the rise of radical Islamists in Bangladesh.
33:25So there are reactions that are coming in, listen in.
33:27...
33:41And my colleague Prane Upadhyay now joins me with more on this big story and a very disturbing story, Prane.
33:48more on this big story and a very disturbing story, Pranay.
33:51This does indicate, is there a pattern to crimes against Hindus?
33:57Is this targeted killing of Hindus in Bangladesh?
34:00Because the UNUS administration claims these may be isolated incidents.
34:04Sometimes they say it's political.
34:05Sometimes they say there's another reason it's not targeting of Hindus.
34:09Indeed, Gaurav, these are very disturbing news developments from Bangladesh.
34:13But let me give you an update that Khokon Chandra Das has been shifted to the Dhaka Medical College.
34:17This is what we are learning from our sources because of his injuries.
34:20He was badly wounded. He was first stabbed in abdomen, then later doused with petrol and set on fire.
34:26To save his life, he jumped into a pond and fortunately got saved.
34:29He was admitted to the Shariat Medical Hospital there.
34:34And then later on, keeping the gravity and the seriousness of his injuries,
34:38now he has been shifted to Dhaka Medical College and he is battling for his life
34:41because of the serious burns and injuries.
34:44But definitely, in the last 10 days, if you see Deepu Chandra Das, then Amrut Mandal, then Khokon Chandra Das.
34:52And as you have heard his wife, Seema, saying that he did not have any animosity.
34:56He was returning by closing his medical shop.
35:00He was returning in an auto rickshaw and then he was attacked.
35:03And he was attacked. He was stabbed in stomach, in abdomen. He was set on fire.
35:09So clearly, it is a targeted thing. And these are the incidents which are there.
35:14And if you see, in the last one and a half year, during the interim regime, interim government of Mohammed Yunus,
35:19there has been 2,900 cases where there has been targeted attack on minorities.
35:24Either the land grab, either the targeted attack and even very disturbing incidents like Deepu Chandra Das.
35:30And if you see the pattern here, attacking an individual and then setting that individual on fire.
35:36This is a very disturbing trend and this is what the interim government...
35:39This indeed is. I wonder what apologists for the regime will say either in Bangladesh or even in India.
35:44Yeah. But the fallout, fallout within Bangladesh in the NCP following that controversial tie-up with Jamaat-e-Islami
35:51because even those inside Bangladesh are very upset with the rise of radical Islamist movements
35:58and their controlling power in Bangladesh.
36:01At least seven senior party leaders have resigned from their posts in less than a week,
36:06citing strong opposition to the alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.
36:09And this dissent runs deep. Nearly 30 leaders have reportedly voiced serious objections, though not all have formally quit.
36:18So there is this growing internal revolt of sorts against the rise of radical Islamist coming to power in Bangladesh
36:27and the Mohammed Yunus regime actually trying to ride that wave to power in Bangladesh.
36:34I want to once again quickly bring in Pranay Upadhyay for more on this.
36:38Pranay, give us details of the resignations within the NCP and what does this mean?
36:46This clearly shows, Gaurav, that there are fissures within the NCP because you know how NCP has been formed.
36:53NCP was only a bunch of students, those who participated in July-August, you know, protest against Sheikh Hasina government.
37:00They ousted a prime minister and an elected prime minister and later on they all joined this interim government of Mohammed Yunus
37:07and then they formed a political party led by Nahid Islam.
37:11But when there is, there are these alliances, the political alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh,
37:18which has its own radical roots, a hardliner party, which has its own jihadist roots as well.
37:24Therefore, there are internal fissures and after the incidents of not only against the minority,
37:29but institutions like, you know, Chayanaut and the liberal institutions, the art and cultural institutions,
37:34students, those who started this politics from Haka University campus, they are feeling disturbed
37:39and they are feeling, and they are, you know, raising their voices within the party as well
37:44that this is not the idea for which we have, you know, given our contribution.
37:49This is not the kind of politics we want to pursue and therefore people are leaving NCP
37:53and now the reports we are getting from Bangladesh is that, you know, many people in the NCP
37:59are, you know, thinking about jumping the ship because this is not leading them to the kind of politics they envisaged.
38:07But is this now already too little and too late?
38:10We'll continue to watch developments in Bangladesh very closely because they directly impact India's security
38:17and especially in the regions where India and Bangladesh share a border.
38:23Rise of radical Islamist tension would automatically mean more trouble in India's bordering areas
38:30and that's a cause for serious concern.
38:32That is all I have time for on this special broadcast of India.
38:36First, many thanks for watching.
38:38News and updates continue on India Today.
38:40Stay with us.
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