Post-poll violence in West Bengal triggered communal violence in Bangladesh: RSS

The West Bengal unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday blamed the post-poll violence in the state as the trigger behind the recent attacks on Hindu minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh and slammed the state's intellectuals for maintaining silence on the issue.

Fundamentalists of Bangladesh were encouraged by the "attack on Hindus" following the defeat of the BJP in the assembly elections held earlier this year and this led to the violence in that country, RSS state general secretary Jishnu Basu claimed.

"If you look at the modus operandi of the violence in Bangladesh, you will understand that the trigger behind the incident is the post-poll violence in West Bengal. The atrocious attack on Hindu Bengalis has sent out a message that Hindu Bengalis have been defeated and this encouraged the fundamentalists on the other side of the border to carry out attacks on Hindu minorities there," Basu told PTI.

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Violence had erupted in pockets of Bangladesh over an alleged blasphemy incident at a Durga Puja pavilion at Cumilla, around 100 km from Dhaka, following which paramilitary forces were deployed in many affected areas. However, sporadic clashes broke out between the police and bigots as media reported the vandalisation of Hindu temples and Durga puja venues. At least five persons were killed, and scores of others were injured in the clashes.

"In Bangladesh, we have seen that police at least have taken some action, shot the rioters. But in West Bengal, the police are inactive," he said.

Basu also questioned the silence of the state's intellectuals on the violence against the minorities in Bangladesh.

"Those who had protested against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) have now gone silent. They are maintaining complete silence on attacks against minorities in Bangladesh. Those who opposed the CAA for political reasons do not think about the plight of the Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. We are from the very beginning supported the CAA," he said.

When asked if he feels that both the Centre and West Bengal government should officially speak out against the attack on Hindus, Basu replied in affirmative.

"Yes, they should. Lots of things are considered, such a diplomatic ties and the present government in Bangladesh. But before that, society needs to speak out. Those (Left minded intellectuals) obsessed with the happenings in Cuba and Nicaragua should also think about their fellow brothers in Bangladesh. There is nothing communal about speaking out against those attacks," the RSS functionary said.

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