New Delhi, August 15: During the 78th Independence Day speech from the historic Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced deep concerns about the safety of Hindu minority in Bangladesh. His remarks came in response to recent attacks on Hindu places of worship and property following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and her subsequent move to India, reported The Wire.
In his speech, Modi emphasized the need for the interim government in Bangladesh to safeguard the religious rights and properties of Hindus and other minorities. This concern had also been conveyed in a congratulatory message to Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus, who is leading the interim government.
While Modi’s stance on protecting the human rights of minorities in Bangladesh drew appreciation, it also sparked criticism for what many see as his neglect of minority communities in India, particularly Muslims and Christians. Critics recall Modi’s silence during significant communal unrest in India, including the Gujarat riots of 2002, where over 1,200 people, mostly Muslims, were killed, and the Northeast Delhi riots of 2020, which claimed 53 lives.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), a U.S.-based NGO, released a report a day before Independence Day, alleging that Modi made Islamophobic remarks in 110 out of 173 speeches during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. The report, titled “India: Hate Speech Fuelled Modi’s Election Campaign,” highlighted continued violence against religious minorities, including the deaths of 12 Muslim men and a Christian woman in 28 reported incidents since the election.
The HRW report further criticized Modi for failing to address the largescale violence in Manipur, which erupted more than a year ago between Hindu and Christian communities, resulting in over 200 deaths and the displacement of around 60,000 people. Despite the scale of the crisis, Modi has not yet visited the strife-torn region.
The contrast between Modi’s advocacy for Hindu minority in Bangladesh and his perceived indifference to the plight of religious minorities in India has fueled debate and raised questions about his commitment to protecting all citizens, regardless of faith. Critics argue that the Prime Minister’s primary responsibility should be ensuring the welfare and safety of India’s own minority communities.
