Congress leader Salman Khurshid stroked a controversy after he likened India to the unrest-hit neighbouring country and said 'What's happening in Bangladesh can happen here.' Waves of violent anti-government protests rocked Bangladesh since mid-July, following which Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign and flee the country.
The Congress leader was then badgered with criticism for his comments. Speaking at the launch of academician Mujibur Rehman's book Shikwa-e-Hind: The Political Future of Indian Muslims, Khurshid said, "Everything may look normal in Kashmir. Everything may look normal here. We may be celebrating the victory, although of course some people believe that that victory or that success of 2024 was perhaps only marginal, perhaps a lot more needs to be done," he said.
He went on to say, "The fact remains that under the surface there is something. What's happening in Bangladesh can happen here... the spread in our country prevents things blowing up in the manner in which they've blown up in Bangladesh"
The BJP voraciously criticised the leader's comment. BJP MP Sambit Patra said, "...He said it during a book release...from Congress' side, he warned that protests and arsons can break out in India, what happened in Bangladesh could happen in India. So many other leaders including Shashi Tharoor were present there and they in a way supported that statement...Rahul Gandhi whenever he went abroad, he used to meet many people secretly and spoke against India, now we are getting to know what was his intention..."
While former Karnataka CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai questioned Congress' mindset, BJP leader Tarun Chugh said that the statement is like mocking Indian democracy. Chugh said, "...This is a statement mocking Indian democracy. Indira Gandhi had imposed Emergency in the country in 1975. Even today, the spirit of emergency is roaming inside Congress leaders...Demolishing temples in Bangladesh, killing Hindus, selectively killing opposition leaders, Congress people are applauding this? What are they happy about? This thinking itself is unfortunate."
BJP MP Bishnu Pada Ray said, "Such a statement on the national issue does not suit a senior leader like him. Is he here to divide India? I am a son of a refugee. My parents came to India after the partition. They (leaders like Salman Khurshid) do not know the atrocities. Congress Party should outcast leaders like him."
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