What the Indian media shows, what the rest think

Bangladesh is gradually returning to calmness after weeks of cataclysmic instability and a dramatic political turn that has left a deep scar in the country's history. The nation deeply honours more than 500 departed souls and the countless injured who made sacrifices to restore rights and freedom. The resilience and determination of the Bangladeshi people, who have shown remarkable strength in the face of adversity, is a testament to their inspiring spirit.

The international community, including the power blocs such as the US-led West and China, has welcomed the interim government in Dhaka, led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus. This interim government was formed in response to recent political upheaval and is tasked with restoring stability and preparing for democratic elections. 

The support and interest expressed by these global powers indicate their belief in Bangladesh's potential for a positive and prosperous future. While confused by the unexpected events, India has cautiously welcomed the interim government, too.

The ousted Awami League government served as India's inevitably musing ally in exchange for India's silence on the dismantling of multi-party democracy in Bangladesh. The BJP stored all its eggs in AL's basket, making it Delhi's sole strategic and security guarantor for the Northeast, Myanmar, and the Siliguri Corridor. Nonetheless, the BJP never ceased using "extremism in Bangladesh" and "illegal migration" cards for its domestic political spins, which the AL politicians left deliberately unchallenged.

When it comes to Muslim persecution, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India, AL is understandably reticent. To reciprocate, Delhi restrained itself from effectively condemning the deaths caused by the political brutality. It's not that the BJP was unaware of that. 

Despite the political shifts in Dhaka, Bangladesh continues to be an integral part of BJP's domestic narratives. After the student uprising, Delhi found that the Dhaka they had known for the past two decades was gone for good.

BJP leadership's toxic labelling of Bangladeshis as termites, Subramaniam Swamy claiming Bangladesh's land to be occupied by India, or the border killing spree violating international law are some blatant examples to note. An entertainer turned BJP law-maker Kangana Ranaut cited "Bangladesh, once a friendly nation, is now no longer being an ally" and claimed that "Bangladesh-like situations develop in all Islamic republics at some point or other." 

BJP no longer hides its dire Islamophobia. 

A list of examples of convenient Bangladesh bashing could be exhaustive, which encourages the Indian media to follow the same path. The public reactions to these pernicious narratives are unfolding.

After Hasina visited Delhi, I mentioned in the Daily Star that "for Bangladesh, India is the future of South Asian stability, depending on its success in managing its neighbourhood-first policy and the northeast or religious plurality." Bangladesh under AL would determine India's future as a regional power. The bilateral leverage BJP gained from the AL regime is now a cynical history for Delhi, isn't it?

So, what are some Indian media outlets trying to portray?

Since the fall of AL, the high-decibel Indian media wildly ramped up to shift attention from the political debacles that the AL faced to the misleading minority attacks. What the Indian media has failed to tell the audience is that the anarchy that prevailed due to a dysfunctional and paralysed police for a week led to indiscriminate attacks on pro-AL kleptocrats. Discernibly, the result was tragic — indiscriminate casualties, which are expected to be investigated once the government settles down.

The student leaders urged the public to protect all religious sites. The public assumed the responsibility to guard places of worship irrespective of religious affiliation and provide safety regardless of identity. BBC Verify, Dismislab, Al-Jazeera, and DW have debunked the viral misinformation campaign, and most fake news originated in India. 

Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, the secretary-general of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, said, "I can confirm that these attacks were politically motivated, not communal," and "10 times more Muslim households affiliated with the AL were attacked." Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council claimed that all attacked Hindus in Sylhet were AL leaders. But the same council termed the anti-quota protestors as  'new Razakars' and 'traitors' and demanded their prosecution in July 2024.

Yet the Indian media aired Islamophobic content titled Attack on Hindus in Bangladesh? Mass Murders, Killings by Mob! The sensationalism of some content creators propagates unsubstantiated claims like "24 burnt alive by mob" and "Minorities at the centre of attacks." An Indian friend sarcastically referred to these outlets as high-impact "Godi Media"!

Why is there an enthralling display of ignorance in the Indian media circus?

It takes no brain to figure out the poignant decline of Indian media, as India ranks 159 behind Pakistan (152) in the Press Freedom Index 2024. India's defender from the Chinese dragon breath, the US, released the Religious Freedom Report 2023, detailing lethal attacks on minority groups, especially Muslims and Christians, and vandalism of places of worship. Amnesty reported that the BJP has been advocating for hatred and violence against religious minorities with impunity, and "punitive demolitions of largely Muslim properties and mosques" went unpunished.

That means the critical reason behind the hyper-virulent anti-Bangladesh transmissions is to divert attention from the systematic minority persecution in Northeast India and, indeed, the Muslims. The second key reason is to mislead the public regarding the root causes of the AL government's downfall and cloak the BJP government's failures in Dhaka.

Unsurprisingly, a third-world regional power's playbook would always include an obsolete colonial formula to regain its flings — using a communal card to discredit a movement, followed by communal branding of a government to gain international buying in, and then dividing the public through ad hominem and ad nauseam propaganda techniques.

The third key factor is that the uprising can have a cross-border spillover effect, inspiring the youth who are victims of similar disparities, nefarious far-right narratives, and socio-economic marginalisation. Bangladesh has set two critical global precedents — it has helped Gambia to file an ICJ case against the BJP's key ally, the Myanmar junta, for persecution of Rohingya Muslims. Argentina filed a case in the ICC to hold Myanmar accountable.

AL has used the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 of Bangladesh against those responsible for committing crimes against humanity, creating ways to use this law to bring politically or religiously motivated offenders to justice. I am sure these milestones would inspire ethnic minorities and the youth to undertake collective legal recourse.

Now, look at India's neighbours beyond the Bollywood reverie. India's fractured power relations with its neighbours, Bangladesh may join the list sooner or later, are striking. One can readily guess that the new parliament in Delhi is expected to take a thorough stock of Indian foreign policy. Hence, the fourth key reason is manipulating the logic behind the surmounting anti-India sentiment.

The last key reason is former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's refuge in India. Her once close flag bearers in Delhi showed umbrage when a retired Indian diplomat mentioned that she could go wherever she wanted as long as it was not India! IDSA expert Dr Smruti Pattanaik opined that "India must not give asylum to Sheikh Hasina" while Dr Sreeradha Datta found the refuge has "geopolitical risks" as the situation is different from 1975.

Delhi's dilemma is further linked to its refugee policies. India is neither a signatory to the Rome Statute nor the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. The Indian government pursues different standards of protection and assistance among refugee groups. Hence, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's refuge is left to BJP's political and strategic calculations.

What an irony!

Sketch: TBS

Shahab Enam Khan is a Professor of International Relations at Jahangirnagar University

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.