Prof. Sreeradha Datta Addresses Flood Blame on India by Bangladesh
New Delhi, India – August 23: Prof. Sreeradha Datta, an expert on India’s neighborhood policies, has responded to claims on social media in Bangladesh blaming India for recent floods. She emphasized that India would not intentionally cause harm to Bangladesh and would provide assistance if needed.
Floods in Tripura and Data Sharing
Prof. Datta, a professor at Jindal School of International Affairs, highlighted that Tripura is also severely affected by floods, with around 40,000 people displaced. She noted that India and Bangladesh have a system for sharing river flow data, which is part of existing protocols.
Water as an Emotive Issue
Prof. Datta explained that water is a sensitive topic, often leading to blame on the upper riparian state during floods. She questioned why India would deliberately cause distress to Bangladesh, especially when India is also facing challenges.
Interim Government in Bangladesh
Following the recent deposition of Sheikh Hasina, Prof. Datta mentioned that social media reactions are often emotional and not based on rationality. She urged for sensible and rational responses, emphasizing cooperation between the two governments to address the crisis.
India as a First Responder
Prof. Datta reiterated India’s role as a first responder in humanitarian disasters in South Asia and expressed confidence that India would assist Bangladesh if required.
Ministry of External Affairs Statement
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the floods in Bangladesh were due to heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Gumti River, not the opening of the Dumbur dam. The dam is located over 120 km from the border and is a low-height dam generating power, some of which is supplied to Bangladesh.
The Ministry emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation in managing shared river resources and resolving issues through bilateral consultations and technical discussions.
Doubts Revealed
Prof. Sreeradha Datta -: Prof. Sreeradha Datta is a teacher and expert who knows a lot about how India deals with its neighboring countries.
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country next to India. It is to the east of India.
social media -: Social media are websites and apps where people share information and talk to each other, like Facebook and Twitter.
Ministry of External Affairs -: The Ministry of External Affairs is a part of the Indian government that deals with other countries.
Gumti River -: The Gumti River is a river that flows through India and Bangladesh.
catchment areas -: Catchment areas are places where rainwater collects and flows into rivers.
Dumbur dam -: The Dumbur dam is a big wall built to hold back water in a river, creating a lake.
cooperate -: To cooperate means to work together and help each other.
shared river resources -: Shared river resources are rivers and water that both India and Bangladesh use.