Priyanka asks Govt to take up issue with Bangladesh

New Delhi, Dec 16: Opposition MPs, including the Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and a BJP ally raised on Monday the issue of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh and asked the government to take up the matter strongly with the neighbouring country. Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Priyanka Gandhi sought the government's support for those who are in pain because of the attacks.

"The government should raise the issue of atrocities against minorities, both Hindus and Christians, in Bangladesh.

Should discuss this with the Bangladesh government and support those who are in pain," she said.

Shiv Sena member Naresh Mhaske said attacks on Hindus cannot be merely termed an internal issue of Bangladesh as it is a matter of grave concern for humanity and the practise of religious tolerance.

He protested against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh and urged the Union government to assert strongly to the neighbouring country that a fair probe be held into the atrocities against the minorities.

India should speed up its efforts for this, he said. "They (minorities in Bangladesh) are being tested, religion is becoming big there... it is a sin to be Hindu, Sikh or a Jain (there)."

Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay demanded that the government make a statement in the House on the issue.

"Minorities and Hindus in Bangladesh are being tortured. The foreign secretary visited Bangladesh recently. Along with (TMC MP) Saugata Roy, I spoke to the external affairs minister in the House the day before yesterday. Why is the government keeping mum? The House is running, let us know what actual developments are taking place," he said.