“There is no basis for the observation made by the press secretary on the extradition request,” says a source in the Govt of India amid row over comments made by Bangladesh on the maiden interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief advisor Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus.
According to a Facebook post from Bangladeshi side, when Yunus raised Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, the “response was not negative”.
Alam also claimed Modi had said: “We saw her [Hasina’s] disrespectful behaviour towards you [Yunus].”
The sources say PM Modi had responded to various specific issues raised by Yunus by saying that these were best discussed by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
“There is no basis for the observation made by the press secretary on the extradition request,” one of the people said, emphasising that such attempts call into question the seriousness and the good faith of Bangladesh’s interim government.
India has no far not responded to the request made by Bangladesh’s interim government last year for the extradition of Hasina, who is living in New Delhi in self-exile since she left Dhaka last August after the collapse of her government.
Indian officials have said the Bangladesh side has not completed several legal formalities related to the extradition request.
The people further said that Modi had spoken during the meeting with Yunus about the progress in bilateral relations since 2014 and characterised the ties as a “deep friendship between our societies and peoples”. They pointed out that that Bangladeshi side’s characterisation of Modi’s remarks regarding the relationship with Yunus and the previous government of Sheikh Hasina were inaccurate.
Modi, the people said, had also mentioned the importance of elections as the basis of legitimacy in any democracy. They said “continued procrastination” in this regard would damage the reputation Yunus.
The people also said the Bangladeshi side’s contention that attacks on the country’s minorities were a “social media concoction” was a contradiction of the facts on the ground.
At their meeting in Bangkok on Friday, Modi directly conveyed India’s deep concerns about the safety of Bangladesh’s Hindus and other minorities to Yunus and said he expects Dhaka to ensure their security and thoroughly investigate instances of atrocities against them. This was the first face-to-face meeting between Modi and Yunus since the fall of Hasina’s government.
The security of Bangladesh’s minorities has emerged as the most contentious issue between the two sides since the interim government assumed office last August, and New Delhi has repeatedly urged Dhaka to ensure their security.
The Bangladesh interim government’s account of aspects of the meeting between chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including attacks on minorities and the extradition request for former premier Sheikh Hasina, was “mischievous and politically motivated”, sources say.
Why faulty claims by Dhaka ??
Primary reason is Yunus could not handle such a big occasion. By now it is clear the Yunus regime and Yunus himself have displayed 'immaturity' vis-a-vis foreign policy matters with regard India.
Firstly, Yunus had blundered by talking about northeast India during his visit to China. It only gave credence to the theory that the interim administration under Yunus is not giving importance to an improved relationship with India.
In a lighter sense, one may also point out at the fact that Yunus's body language betrayed nervousness. He sat with a set of papers while Narendra Modi handled things with much ease.
Post meeting analyses:
* Yunus should appreciate he 'got' the opportunity to meet Narendra Modi after repeated requests and after eight months since he could take over the reins of Bangladesh.
** Yunus's gift to Modi - an old snap only shows 'desperation' on the part of Dhaka that look, our leader is important and a decorated individual who was given some recognition in 2015 by Namo himself.
Optics and substance ought to be understood.
*** PM Modi made a strong case for a 'democratic, stable and inclusive' Bangladesh and that means Hindu minorities in that country should be treated with respect they deserve.
^^^ Modi also focused on building a relationship based on pragmatism and people centric. This was advantage Yunus because Modi did now show any preference about internal dynamics in Bangladesh's electoral politics.
*** PM Modi also asked Dhaka to investigate properly the cases of atrocities on Hindus.
"The Prime Minister also underlined India's concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating all cases of atrocities committed against them," said foreign secretary Vikram Misri.
*** Most timely warning was that - "any rhetoric (on the part of Dhaka in particular) that vitiates the environment is best avoided".
This was certainly in reference to Yunus making a totally unwarranted statement on north east India.
ends
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