HYDERABAD: Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi expressed concern over the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and punched holes in the Modi government’s “neighbourhood first policy” in the Lok Sabha on Friday. He said that India has been providing $10 billion in assistance to Bangladesh and the neighboring country is not taking care of Hindus, attacking Hindu temples and dumping the textiles made by them, which is badly affecting the power-loom industry in the country.
"We have drawn their attention to our concerns. Recently the foreign secretary visited Dhaka. This subject came up in his meetings. And it is our expectation that in its own interests, Bangladesh will take action for the safety of minorities," he said during the Question Hour.
Addressing the concerns on the neighbourhood first policy, Jaishankar said, “Almost in every neighbouring country, except Pakistan and China, we have important development projects and that is the case with Bangladesh as well."
Talking about Myanmar, Jaishankar pointed out that the country is in a disturbed state and there was hardly any Myanmar government control on the other side of the border. “Looking at the sensitiveness of bordering communities, the Indian government has been following an age-old open regime policy which has been historically there and allows the free movement of tribal people inhabiting the border areas. But, the Indian government may review it, but at the same time be sensitive towards the lives of border communities,” the minister said.
On the AIMIM MP asking the stand of the Indian government on Nepal printing some parts of India as Nepali territory on their currency and drugs being smuggled from Bangladesh, Jaishankar said that the position of the Indian government is clear about its territories. “Nepal should not get the impression that any confusion over the Indian territories would lead to some review,” he stated.
