NEW DELHI, Mar 28:
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking in Lok Sabha on Friday, highlighted incidents involving attack on minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The minister said New Delhi is tracking “very closely” the treatment of minorities in Pakistan and making its position “well known”, but the country cannot change the “fanatical and bigoted mindset” of a neighbour.
Replying to a supplementary query during the Question Hour, Jaishankar pointed to 10 incidents involving attacks on Hindus in Pakistan in February.
Seven of these incidents related to abduction and forced conversion, two other cases related to abduction, and one in which there was “police action” against students celebrating Holi, the external affairs minister said.
He informed the House that there were also three cases related to atrocities against members of the Sikh community. In one case, a Sikh family was attacked; in another case, a Sikh family was threatened for reopening an old Gurdwara, and yet another case involved the abduction and conversion of a girl from the Sikh community, the minister said.
He added that two other cases involved members of the Ahmediya community, and another case in which a Christian person of unstable mind was charged with blasphemy.
Jaishankar said India takes up such cases at the international level also.
“Like in Pakistan, we track the welfare and well-being of minorities in Bangladesh as well … In 2024, we had 2,400 incidents relating to attacks on minorities and in 2025, 72 incidents … I have taken it up with my counterpart there. The foreign secretary also took it up when he visited Bangladesh. This continues to be a matter of concern for our government,” Jaishankar said, responding to another supplementary question.
Responding to a query on whether India plans “tough action” on the lines of earlier prime minister Indira Gandhi’s stance against Pakistan, Jaishankar said New Delhi is making its position “well known” but “we as a government and a country cannot change the fanatical and bigoted mindset of a neighbour.” “Even Indira Gandhi could not do it,” he observed.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on March 28, 2025. Sansad TV
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that the attack on minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh is a matter of concern for the Government of India.
“I have taken it up with my counterpart and foreign secretary took it up when he visited Bangladesh. This continues to be a matter of concern for government of India,” the Minister said.
He said that the Foreign Ministry keeps a track on the well-being of minorities in Bangladesh.
Jaishankar informed the House that in 2024, a total of 2,400 incidents related to attacks on minorities were reported in Bangladesh. “This year so far 72 incidents have been reported. We have details of these incidents,” he said.
Notably, Bangladesh, being led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, witnessed a disturbing rise in violence against the minority Hindu community following the ouster of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, after unprecedented student protests.
India has multiple times expressed concerns over the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and urged the government to take action against those responsible for the violence.
During a visit to Bangladesh on December 9, 2024, India’s Foreign Secretary reiterated the country’s expectations regarding the protection of minorities.
Meanwhile, early this year, the Delhi Police had started a comprehensive operation to find all people of Bangladesh origin who are illegally residing in Delhi without any documentation. The directives were given by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena who had set a two-month timeline to identify and expel all illegal intruders.
The action has been continuing and illegal immigrants of Bangladesh origin are being regularly found, detained and deported by the authorities.
Earlier this month the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of 2,601 Bangladeshi citizens had been apprehended at the India-Bangladesh border while attempting to enter Indian territory in the last 13 months.
Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai shared this information in a written reply on March 12, stating that these 2,601 Bangladeshis were apprehended between January 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025.
According to the data shared by the MoS, 176 Bangladeshi intruders were apprehended in January 2025, as the Border Security Force (BSF)—mandated to guard the India-Bangladesh border—remained steadfast in its mission to curb illegal activities along the border.
Reflecting on the past 12 months of 2024, the data shows the apprehension of 253 Bangladeshis in December, followed by 310 in November, 331 in October, 300 in September, 214 in August, 267 in July, and 247 in June, indicating fluctuations in illegal crossings from Bangladesh.
