Indian’s External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid has said that India does not take sides in “friendly” Bangladesh — or bother with who
wins elections there.
Khurshid, however, told ‘The Hindu’ that the situation remained “uncertain and delicate” as the government and opposition could not
agree on “how to proceed”.
“Bangladesh situation is obviously very uncertain and delicate because the Opposition and the government have not been able to come to an
agreement on how to proceed”.
“For democracy to prosper there should at least be a commitment that violence will not be allowed to distort the democratic process,” he
said.
Khurshid said that India wishes the US takes its point on Bangladesh more seriously.
“While the US is at some distance from Bangladesh, we are right next to it. So our understanding of the region and understanding of
sentiments of the people in the region should be helpful in the positions they want to take,” he said.
He, however, said India usually does not discuss ‘democracy in third countries’.
Bangladesh’s political situation remained volatile over the Jan 5 elections that main opposition BNP boycotted.
Violence has escalated sharply in recent weeks.
Ruling Awami League installed an “all-party” interim government, but BNP stayed away demanding restoration of non-political caretaker
system that had conducted polls since the mid-1990s.
India has been discussing Bangladesh with the US and several other countries, who, according to India’s Dhaka envoy Pankaj Saran, “have
an interest in peace and stability of Bangladesh”.
Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh recently visited Bangladesh and pitched for an inclusive election with “as many parties as possible”.
– bdnews24.com
