As many as 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been reported in Bangladesh this year till December 8, the central government revealed on Friday.
In a written reply to a Lok Sabha query, External Affairs Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh disclosed this, citing data from minority groups and human rights organizations.
The Ministry of Justice said that in Pakistan, the number of cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities this year “as of October 2024” was 112.
According to the data shared by Singh, the corresponding numbers in 2022 are 47 people in Bangladesh and 241 people in Pakistan, while the corresponding numbers in 2023 are 302 people in Bangladesh and 103 people in Pakistan.
The minister said the Center led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged “Pakistan to take steps to prevent religious intolerance, sectarian violence, systematic persecution and attacks on minority communities and ensure their safety and welfare”. Agency PTI.
“India continues to highlight the plight of minorities in Pakistan at appropriate international forums,” he added.
The minister said there were “zero” cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in other neighboring countries (except Pakistan and Bangladesh).
Singh was asked about the total number of cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities reported in neighboring countries in the past three years.
Country and year; measures taken or proposed to be taken by the Ministry to protect minorities, including diplomatic intervention and relief measures.
In his response, the Union minister also said, “The government has taken serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Bangladesh government.”
“India expects Bangladesh to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and welfare of Hindus and other minorities. This was also reiterated during the visit of the Foreign Secretary to Bangladesh on December 9, 2024,” he further said.
India’s foreign minister said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka “continues to monitor closely” the situation related to the Bangladeshi minority. “The primary responsibility to protect the lives and freedoms of all citizens, including ethnic minorities, lies with the governments of the countries concerned,” he said.
(With PTI input)