India today (4 October) said the attacks on Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh were “undesirable”.
“This is our expectation that the government there will provide security to the minorities. Any incident happening during Durga Puja is not good,” India’s ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing, reports Times of India.
India has expressed concerns over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh on multiple occasions, even at the highest level, he added.
“Durga Puja conveys a good message and I extend my best wishes to all on this occasion,” he further added.
In response to another question about Dhaka and Islamabad seeking the revival of Saarc, which has been moribund since New Delhi pulled out of a planned summit in Pakistan in 2016, Jaiswal sought to blame Pakistan for holding up regional cooperation, reports Hindustan Times.
“We attach deep importance to regional cooperation, to regional connectivity. Therefore, we have given impetus to Bimstec. On Saarc, as you know, we want to strengthen regional cooperation but you are well aware of the reason as to why this particular cooperation in that format is not moving forward.
“One particular country has a particular way of doing things, which is stalling Saarc,” he said, without naming Pakistan.
“But, as far as regional cooperation is concerned, we attach deep importance to it. You would have seen our approach in it through Bimstec and other platforms that we have,” Jaiswal added.
