New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS): Islamic cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan on Wednesday said that the unrest and turmoil in strife-torn Bangladesh is alarming and worrisome and also expressed his readiness to visit the South Asian nation to stop atrocities against Hindu minorities.
He, however, contested reports of assault and brutality on the Hindu minorities and said that it was actually the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's supporters who were under attack.
Speaking to IANS, the Uttar Pradesh-based Muslim cleric said that he would be more than willing to visit Bangladesh and persuade the incumbent regime to stop harassment of minorities.
He claimed that the political unrest in Bangladesh was being wrongly reported by the Indian media.
“After Sheikh Hasina's government was toppled, her followers and supporters have been under attack but here, it is being portrayed as an attack on Hindu minorities,” he alleged.
When confronted with facts, he said that if Hindu minorities were facing threat in Bangladesh, he would urge the Indian government to grant him permission to visit the violence-hit country, so that he could persuade Muhammad Yunus regime to take corrective action.
“If temples are being attacked, if Hindu minorities are being targeted in Muslim-majority Bangladesh because of their religious affiliation, this must be condemned vehemently. The government should grant us permission to Bangladesh. I and my team will go and speak to Bangladesh rulers to stop atrocities and barbarity against the Hindus,” he said further.
The Islamic cleric, known for stirring controversy with hateful remarks against BJP and RSS, also accused the latter of destroying the social fabric of the nation by fueling ‘mandir beneath masjid agenda’.
“The main purpose behind excavation and surveys at mosques is politically motivated and focused on spreading hatred against minorities,” he said.
He also demanded action from the petitioners, seeking surveys and excavations at mosques, and accused them of disturbing communal harmony and vitiating the atmosphere.
Hinting at ‘political pressure’ on the lower courts, he said that the Supreme Court must take cognisance of mosque survey orders and demanded that they act on time, to stop the matter from going out of hand.