IRRESPONSIBLE and indecent remarks, reflective of dangerous political rhetoric and a haughty attitude, made by some Indian politicians targeting Bangladesh and Bangladeshis have contributed to a deterioration of Bangladesh-India relations. In a recent such incident, the Indian home minister Amit Shah lashed out on 鈥楤angladeshi infiltrators鈥� at a rally on September 20, threatening them to chase out from Indian state Jharkhand and to straighten them by hanging them upside down. Even if one sees such a comment as political jibe, targeting other political parties and advancing Shah鈥檚 Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election, the comment is unbecoming, indecent and politically vulgar. This is not the first time that such hate-mongering comments have come from leaders and supporters of Hindutvavadi politics, which appear to have greatly contributed to an escalation of hate crimes in India. The BJP leader made a similarly repulsive comment, terming 鈥楤angladeshi infiltrators鈥� termites, back in 2018, drawing flak in both India and Bangladesh. Emblematic of Hindutvavadi extremist approach, such comments deny and distort history, disrespect and dehumanise people and create ground for hate crimes. Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-kilometre-long porous border, and hundreds of people from both countries visit and stay in the other country for various reasons.
While most of such stays, mostly for a short period, are documented and legal, there are certainly instances of illegal stays, which are true for nationals of both countries. Thousands of Bangladeshis legally visit India for medical or business purposes every year; similarly, thousands of Indians work in Bangladesh. In fact, Bangladesh is the fourth largest remittance source for India. Many of these Indians are reported to be working here illegally. They often overstay their visas or work in Bangladesh without work permits. It is not impossible that there are some Bangladeshis who work in India illegally too. It is imperative for the authorities of both countries to assess the situation and take actions according to the laws of the countries. But unbecoming comments such as Amit Shah鈥檚 verge on hate speech and set the bilateral relations between the two countries in the wrong direction. The Indian foreign policy towards Bangladesh has hardly been based on mutual respect and people-to-people relations. It has largely been blinded by India鈥檚 myopic vision that has seen the now-deposed, authoritarian Awami League as its only ally, disrespecting people鈥檚 will. Following the fall of the autocratic Hasina regime, which relied more on Indian support than on the people鈥檚 mandate, India has expressed its desire to improve its relations with Bangladesh, and Bangladesh has also duly reciprocated. In such a situation, unbecoming and disrespectful remarks by Indian ruling party people might come as a hindrance to bettering bilateral relations.
Illegal migration is one of the many issues that both Bangladesh and India need to address, and the issue needs to be addressed in accordance with law, national and international. The Indian authorities need to understand that hate speech is not a solution but a catalyst in the deterioration of bilateral relations. It is time the Indian authorities concerned realised the issue.
