FM cancels India visit amid violence over citizenship law

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has cancelled his three-day official tour to India in the wave of violent protests in the North East regions of the South Asian giant over the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, reports NDTV.

The report, however, added that there was no official explanation on the causes of postponement of Momen's India visit.

Bangladeshi foreign minister was scheduled to visit India from December 12 to December 14, the report said, adding that as per an earlier advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Momen was scheduled to arrive in New Delhi at 5.20 pm.

Massive protests have broken out in Assam and parts of the North East following the passage of the controversial Citizenship Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday night.

Protesting the move thousands of people defied a city-wide curfew on Thursday in place in Guwahati, the largest city in the state, since Wednesday evening to take to the streets.

Transport services to the region has been severely impacted as all train services to Assam and neighboring Tripura have been suspended following protests. Several airlines too have cancelled flights to Guwahati and Dibrugarh.

Meanwhile, five columns of army - each column consisting of 70 personnel - have been deployed in Assam.

Two army columns deployed in Guwahati carried out flag marches, news agency PTI said, quoting Indian Army PRO Lt Col P Khongsai.

Army personnel have also been deployed in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts, PTI reported, quoting officials.

Momen busy in victory month schedule

Meanwhile, Bangladesh foreign minister has claimed that due to his internal busy schedule over victory month programs he had to cancel India tour, Indian Business Standard reported on Thursday.

"I had to cancel my trip to New Delhi as I have to participate in the Buddijibi Debosh and Bijoy Debosh and more so as our State Minister is out of the country in Madrid and our Foreign Secretary is in The Hague. Given increasing demand at home, I decided to cancel his trip," the report quoted Momen as saying.

The foreign minister said that he is looking forward to his January visit. "I am looking forward to attending the next meeting in January. I am sending our DG to attend the event."

Earlier on Tuesday, Momen rejected Home Minister Amit Shah's statements on the condition of religious minorities in Bangladesh, calling the remarks as 'unwarranted as well as untrue'.

Bangladesh rejects Indian allegation

While introducing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Lok Sabha, Shah had said that the Bill was brought to ensure that persecuted communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can live a dignified life in India.

The Bill aimed at providing Indian citizenship to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country.

Responding to it, Momen claimed that there were only 'a very few countries where communal harmony is as good as in Bangladesh' and invited Shah to witness it by visiting the country.

"What they are saying in regards to torture on Hindus is unwarranted as well as untrue. There are very few countries in the world where communal harmony is as good as in Bangladesh. We have no minorities. We are all equal. If he [Amit Shah] stayed in Bangladesh for a few months, he would see the exemplary communal harmony in our country," he said.

Kamruzzaman