Amidst reports of attacks on minorities and desecration of the Indian tricolour in Bangladesh, posters of Muhammad Yunus, the neighbouring country's chief adviser, surfaced on social media in West Bengal with derogatory words written next to his image.
The posters were reportedly spotted near Siliguri Municipal Corporation building and other parts of the busy town in North Bengal.
The images quickly went viral, though PTI could not independently verify its authenticity.
A district official said an inquiry has been started to determine the origins of the posters.
"We are looking into whether such posters with objectionable messages against another country have been displayed. If we find anything, the administration will take appropriate action to remove them," the official said.
Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh, upon being informed about the posters, said, "Everyone knows how the Indian national flag was dishonoured at several higher educational institutions in Bangladesh. Images of these sacrilegious acts were widely shared on social media, which hurt the sentiments of Indians, as well as those who respect the sovereignty of all nations." He suggested that the appearance of these posters in Siliguri was likely an expression of anger and frustration in response to the alleged disrespect shown towards India and its national symbols by some people in Bangladesh.
"While the posters might have been created by a few, they reflect the deep anger and pain felt by many over the deliberate disregard for our flag in the neighbouring country and the Bangladesh government's failure to take action against such acts," Ghosh said. "However, dishonouring the office of any head of state cannot be justified," he added.
The BJP legislator said those responsible for the posters may have been reacting to the inaction of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of failing to curb the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus.
Ghosh also referred to the case of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu spiritual leader who was arrested in Bangladesh for protesting against the persecution of minorities.
"Das has not been able to find a lawyer to defend him in Bangladesh's courts, highlighting the repression of minorities and the government’s apparent capitulation to Islamist forces," Ghosh said.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested last month at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while en route to attend a rally in Chattogram. His arrest has sparked widespread concerns over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh.
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