The Union Home minister said immigrants would become a majority in Jharkhand in the next 25-30 years
GUWAHATI: The Bangladesh government has lodged a strong protest with India for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks in Jharkhand concerning Bangladeshi nationals, calling the comments "highly deplorable".
Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over the protest note to India's Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, expressing its "serious reservations, deep hurt, and extreme displeasure". Amit Shah, during his visit to poll-bound Jharkhand last week, said the BJP "will hang every Bangladeshi infiltrator upside down to give them a lesson", if the party is elected to power in Jharkhand.
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Shah had accused the JMM-led coalition government in Jharkhand of encouraging illegal infiltration for its “vote bank politics” and cautioned that if not checked, such immigrants would become a majority in the state in the next 25-30 years.
“There is no place for infiltrators in the state. They are marrying our daughters, grabbing land and destroying rich tribal culture and heritage... we will drive each one of them out... Let the lotus bloom here,” Shah had said at a rally in Bokaro.
Bangladesh asked New Delhi to rein in its political leaders and dissuade them from making such "objectionable and unacceptable" statements, according to reports in the Bangladesh media. "The Ministry conveyed its serious reservation, deep sense of hurt and extreme displeasure and called upon the Government of India to advise the political leaders to refrain from making such objectionable and unacceptable remarks," the protest note said.
"The ministry also emphasised that such remarks, coming from responsible positions against the nationals of a neighbouring country, undermine the spirit of mutual respect and understanding between two friendly countries," it added