Bangladesh rediscovering its Pakistani roots: Foreign Affairs Expert Sushant Sareen
New Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): Sushant Sareen, Foreign Affairs Expert, said that Bangladesh is playing the Pakistani handbook, as it is now growing closer ties with the nation.
Talking about the recent bedlam of protests and violence against the minorities, Sareen said that Bangladesh is now going back to its Pakistani roots.
"Well, I think Bangladesh is rediscovering its Pakistani roots, because this is the Pakistani playbook that they are following. So, quite clearly, the regime in Bangladesh, which is an illegal, illegitimate regime, unelected, is now totally in the Pakistani pocket. It's quite clear that that is what is happening. For them to overreact to a small demonstration by 15-20 people who obviously felt very strongly about the cross-persecution of minorities, it's much worse, and the brutal killing which is taking place in Bangladesh," he said.
"For them to overreact to a bunch of 15-20 people with some posters shouting some slogans and act as though some kind of an invasion of the High Commission has taken place. It's utterly ridiculous. It's absurd, this kind of an overreaction, but to be expected, because absurdity in Pakistan is the same thing, and Bangladesh, now rediscovering its East Pakistan roots, is going that line. So it's quite clear that is what is happening," he said.
"There are also very disturbing reports coming in of, for example, some people are claiming that there are people from the Pakistani establishment who are sitting in government offices in Bangladesh and directing them what they should do and not do," he said.
"There are reports coming of Pakistan and Bangladesh trying to enter into some kind of a defence deal, which means that there could soon be Pakistani boots on the ground or some other kind of assistance being given to Bangladesh, and Bangladesh becomes an outpost to attack India. And if that were to happen, then all bets are off. It will be a classic case of Bangladesh cutting its, not just its nose, but its neck and two of its necks to spite India's face," he said.
Sareen further said that it's ironic how Bangladesh is blaming India for interfering in their matters, while India just gave refuge to former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.
"This is the Pakistani mindset. Simple logic fails these people. I think that is where we are. It's not a very happy situation to have this kind of an atmosphere in a neighbouring country, but it is what it is. So I think India will need to start rethinking how it plans to deal with Bangladesh," he said.
"A lot of people consider what India is doing or not doing as a strategic restraint, but I sometimes wonder whether it's restraint or it's strategic paralysis. And I think we need to do certain things, and it should serve as a lesson for India, even for other countries in the neighbourhood and the extended neighbourhood and the rest of the world," he said.
"That, this notion that we have that we will be living in peace with a particular country for all times to come. I think it's a fallacious notion. It needs to be re-examined. You need to have equities and leverage, very deep knowledge of every country, which is critical to India's interest, rather than be caught like a deer in headlights, which is what seems to have happened to some extent as far as India is concerned," he said.
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