Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu Seeks Protection for Sikh Shrines in Bangladesh Amid Unrest
New Delhi [India], August 6: Amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has expressed concern over attacks on religious places in Bangladesh. He has sought the protection of Sikh Gurdwaras located in Dhaka and Hindu temples in the country.
Bittu wrote an official letter to the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging him to take up the matter with the Army authorities in Bangladesh to protect two historical Sikh shrines, Gurdwara Nanak Shahi and Gurdwara Sangat Tola, situated in Dhaka. He mentioned that Guru Nanak Dev ji and Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib had visited Dhaka, and these Gurdwaras were built in their memory.
Bittu highlighted that the Sikh population in Bangladesh is very small and that certain anti-India elements were attacking religious places. He assured the Sikh community in Bangladesh and India that the Indian Government would take steps to protect the Sikh shrines.
Meanwhile, S. Jaishankar stated that there are an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh, of which about 9,000 are students. He assured that the government is in close contact with the Indian community in Dhaka. Jaishankar informed the Lok Sabha that most of the students returned to India in July.
Jaishankar also mentioned that Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested approval from India to come at very short notice and arrived in Delhi on Monday evening. He added that the government is monitoring the situation concerning the minorities living in Bangladesh.
He explained that since the election in January 2024, there has been considerable tension, deep divides, and growing polarization in Bangladesh politics, which aggravated a student agitation that started in June. The violence, including attacks on public buildings, continued in July. Jaishankar stated that the Indian government has counselled restraint and urged that the situation be resolved through dialogue.
Doubts Revealed
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a person who is part of the central government of India and is responsible for specific areas like education, health, or defense.
Ravneet Singh Bittu -: Ravneet Singh Bittu is a politician in India who works for the central government. He is concerned about the safety of Sikh religious places in Bangladesh.
Sikh Shrines -: Sikh Shrines are special places where people who follow the Sikh religion go to pray and worship. They are also called Gurdwaras.
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country next to India. It has its own government and people, and sometimes there are problems or unrest there.
Unrest -: Unrest means there are problems, fights, or disturbances happening in a place, making it unsafe.
External Affairs Minister -: The External Affairs Minister is a person in the Indian government who deals with other countries and international issues. Right now, this person is S. Jaishankar.
S. Jaishankar -: S. Jaishankar is the current External Affairs Minister of India. He talks to other countries and helps solve international problems.
Dhaka -: Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh. It is a big city where many important things happen.
Historical significance -: Historical significance means something is very important because of its history. Sikh shrines have a lot of history and are important to many people.
Indian Government -: The Indian Government is the group of people who run the country of India. They make laws and help keep the country safe and organized.
Indian community in Bangladesh -: The Indian community in Bangladesh refers to people from India who live in Bangladesh. They might be there for work, study, or other reasons.
