Vice President Dhankhar slams Congress leader's 'Bangladesh can happen here' remark
New Delhi: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has expressed shock and concern over senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s remark that a Bangladesh-like situation could also arise in India and advised Congress leaders to guard against promoting such narratives, media reports said.
At a book release function on Tuesday night, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Salman Khurshid said that though "everything may look normal on the surface", what is happening in Bangladesh could happen in India, reported news agency PTI.
On Monday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, fled the country in a helicopter amid violent protests led by students to longtime ally New Delhi.
During Hasina's 15-year tenure, her rule was marked by the arrest of opposition leaders, restrictions on free speech, and the suppression of dissent.
"Be on watch out. Efforts by some to infuse a narrative that what happened in our neighbourhood is bound to happen in our Bharat, is deeply concerning. How can a citizen of this country having been a Member of Parliament, and the other who has seen enough of Foreign Service takes no time in saying that what happened in the neighbourhood will happen in India," said the Vice President at the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur today.
Be on watch out!!
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) August 10, 2024
Efforts by some to infuse a narrative that what happened in our neighbourhood is bound to happen in our Bharat, is deeply concerning.
How can a citizen of this country having been a Member of Parliament, and the other who has seen enough of Foreign Service… pic.twitter.com/MWEoz1Ao1C
BJP slammed Khurshid over the remark, terming it an “anarchist statement”.
"He is also a member of the CWC, this is an anarchist statement, and I think it is a kind of sedition. It's unfortunate that the Congress is resorting to such anarchist statements to hide its failure," Rudy was quoted as saying by PTI.
BJP MP Sambit Patra said the Congress leader’s remark was a “serious issue”. "This is a serious issue. When we are witnessing such a situation in neighbouring countries, the main opposition party Congress wants the same situation in India," BJP MP Sambit Patra told reporters outside Parliament.
"This is a warning Salman Khurshid has given on behalf of the Congress. Other leaders, including Shashi Tharoor, were present at the book launch event, in a way supporting what he said," Patra said.
"What is the thought process of the Congress party? Rahul Gandhi used to say there will be arson and riots in this country, there will be attacks on the PM, why was he saying that," Patra asked.
He also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, seeking foreign intervention in the internal matters of India, during his visits abroad.
On Salman Khurshid’s remarks, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, "You'll have to ask him exactly what he meant, it is not my job to comment on the comments of others."
"Generally speaking, the larger message that the Bangladesh experience has given is the importance of democracy, of free and fair elections, transparency, engaging people in the system, making sure all institutions of democracy function fairly," Tharoor said.
"When that happens, there will be much less cause of this kind of thing to occur," he said.
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