Genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh and the rights of BSF

1. Genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh leads to a huge reduction in Hindu population

As per the 1950 census, Bangladesh (earlier East Pakistan) had 24% Hindus. Today, Hindu population has reduced to less than 8%. In 1971, during the Indo-Pak War, the Pakistani Army killed 30-40 lakh Hindus and 20-25 lakh Hindus fled to India while many other Hindus converted to Islam. Today, there are about 2 crore Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, but terrorist organisations in Bangladesh have been attacking them. Hindu temples and Durga-puja pandals were attacked. 60-70 houses of Hindus were burnt down, Hindu women were molested. The Bangladesh Government immediately tried to deploy Police, but the violence did not end. Hindus said that they wouldn’t perform puja if this is what the religious fanatics want, but pleaded not to attack them. Unfortunately, the attacks are going on.

2. Some political parties and organisations that opposed CAA can help the aggrieved Hindus in Bangladesh get Indian citizenship

The strange part is that no political party in India has opened its mouth on this issue. The Human Rights Organisations in India keep harping on some issue or the other, but they too keep mum when Hindus are attacked. Moreover, the international media which always creates noise against India, is also very quiet now as if nothing is happening in Bangladesh.

Even then, India will have to register its protest with the UN Human Rights Commission to safeguard Hindu rights in Bangladesh. Bangladesh will have to be requested that Hindus should not be attacked, etc. India cannot request Bangladesh to do something beyond a point. Considering such situations, laws like the CAA and NRC have been passed in India. Under CAA, minorities who come to India as refugees (Hindus, Sikhs, etc.) can be given Indian citizenship, but some political parties and organisations strongly opposed them. So, we can see how wrong they were.

The population of minority Hindus, Sikhs and others is less than 2%. Till it reduces to zero, their oppression will continue; therefore, saving them is a big challenge for India. There is no satisfactory solution to this problem right now. India can only tell Bangladesh to ensure that Hindus are not oppressed.

3. Good decision by the Indian Government to increase the rights of BSF

A. BSF to be deployed on Bangladesh border and patrolling by Indian security forces to be increased : The Indian Government has give more powers to the Border Security Force (BSF), which is a good thing. Presently, not only infiltration on the Bangladesh borders, illegal trafficking of drugs, counterfeit Indian currency, weapons and cattle, etc. is also taking place Food distributed by the Central Government for the poor is also sent to Bangladesh. In this way, there is a different kind of trafficking going on daily at the Bangladesh borders. BSF has been deployed on these borders and a wired fence has been erected. Indian security forces patrol this area. Soldiers have been given weapons, but no firing is done as there is only infiltration. Smugglers are fired upon rarely and the instances are very few.

B. Huge illegal trafficking on Bangladesh border : The rights given to BSF are very less. For example, if our soldiers nab a smuggler on the Bangladesh border, they cannot take any action against him. They have to first hand him over to the Bengal Police. Bengal Police are, however, involved in anti-national activities; therefore, they don’t take any action. The Policemen and Government machinery have become corrupt; as such, smuggling has become a big business in this area. Smuggling also takes place in Mizoram and Tripura, but it is less as compared to Bengal. Pakistan’s border is adjacent to Punjab. Here too, opium, cannabis, cannabis resin are smuggled on a large scale. In the past few months, India has confiscated narcotics worth Rs 9,000-10,000 crore. This narco-terrorism has led to more than half of the youth in Punjab becoming drug addicts. It was, therefore, necessary to give more powers to the BSF.

C. BSF has been given additional powers of the Police, so they can perform their duties : BSF has been given similar powers as the Police within 50-90 kms area around the border; therefore, they can arrest the offenders and can even file cases against them. Unfortunately, Police deployed in the border areas do not perform their duties properly. With more rights to the BSF, borders will be protected in a better way. Punjab and Bengal are opposing this decision when they should know the harm being caused to India due to smuggling. Unfortunately, after the Taliban control over Afghanistan, smuggling of opium, cannabis, etc. has increased greatly. With more powers to the BSF, arrests of smugglers, criminals are likely to be more.

4. India should undertake a campaign against terrorism and eliminate terrorists permanently

The Kashmir issue has come into the limelight again. Some people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had gone there to work. They were attacked by the terrorists; so, they are running away from Kashmir. In 7 days, 17 people were killed in Kashmir. In retaliation, the Indian Army killed 14 terrorists in 7 days. The families of workers who were killed, should be given financial aid by the Kashmir Government. Tourism has also gone up because there is peace in Kashmir. Areas such as Jammu, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri were peaceful, but this was not liked by Pakistan; hence, they increased terrorism with the help of Taliban, which is a serious matter for India. Let us hope that Indian security forces will try to eliminate terrorists.

5. Agitations should be constructive, not destructive

China and Pakistan have waged a multi-domain war (hybrid war) against India the year around. In the meantime, agitators staged ‘Rail-roko’ agitations at various places in the country. So-called farmers agitated in Delhi, leading to a loss of Rs 5,000-6,000 crore every day for India. Everyone has the right to protest and go on strike, but no one has the right to block roads or stop trains since it inconveniences ordinary citizens. These were the clear orders of the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, we are harming our own people. Any agitation should be constructive, not destructive. Fortunately, the Indian economy is progressing well; it is the duty of every citizen to help and do his/her bit in the development of our country.

– (Retd.) Brigadier Hemant Mahajan, Pune.