India Tomorrow
ENGALURU—Bangladesh Education Minister Dipu Moni, one of the important and senior ministers in Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet has called upon India to protect its minorities. Mindful that India might take offence to her urging, she quickly said that this was “applicable for all countries.”
Moni was speaking at a session titled ‘India@2047’ at the India Ideas Conclave organised by the India Foundation, a think-tank working closely with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) on Saturday (May 21, 2022) at Bengaluru.
“Protecting and guaranteeing fundamental rights of citizens can set the stage for India to unleash the potential of its citizens, in particular people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, and women from all sections of the society,” Moni said in her address understood to have been sanctioned at the highest political level in Bangladesh.
Stating that protection of interest of minorities of all nature — including minorities with a distinct language and culture — can “help deter tension and avoid sectarian violence.”
Batting with a straight bat, Moni also asked the government of India to leave no stone unturned to protect and guarantee the fundamental rights of every citizen. “Unbiased application of the provisions of the Constitution on freedom of religion and freedom to manage religious affairs will usher in peace and sustainability.”
She added: “For India to emerge as one of the respected global powers, it has to realise the dreams of the founding fathers as enunciated in the Constitution. She said: “Protecting and guaranteeing fundamental rights of citizens can set the stage for India to unleash the potential of its citizens, in particular people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, and women from all sections of the society.”
According to her, “Unbiased application of the provisions of the Constitution on freedom of religion and freedom to manage religious affairs can strengthen communal harmony and sustain peace”.
Stressing on further strengthening of India-Bangladesh cooperation at different levels, Moni said, India can provide effective leadership to its neighbours at different levels but to take up the leadership role, India needs to take steps to ensure peace and harmony within the country.
The Bangladeshi minister said, “(The) social stratification unique to India will not only deprive the weaker sections but (will) also allow divisive policies and approaches.
Restoration of their dignity and saving them from exploitation may allow them to emerge as a new force in the society and become equal partners in advancement.”
According to the South Asia Monitor, “The choice of forum to address Bangladesh’s concerns about recent happenings in India – especially assaults on Muslims, their freedom of religion, and resurrection of old disputes over places of worship in the name of ferreting out the “truth” over what happened centuries ago when the Mughals ruled India – and which have received unfavorable international attention, was significant.
Moni, 56 is a Member of Parliament from the Chandpur-3 constituency and is Bangladesh Education Minister since January 2019. She was the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh from 2009 to 2013 and was appointed as the first female foreign minister on January 6, 2009, after the Awami League-led Grand Alliance emerged victorious on December 29, 2008. She is married to Tawfique Nawaz, an Oxbridge educated senior advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.
The Bangladesh Education Minister accompanied by her husband and two children visited her relations in Midnapore, West Bengal. Her visit underlined the importance and demonstrated the social and cultural ties that bind both countries.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also spoke at the session.
