India has firmly rejected comments made by Bangladesh regarding the violence in West Bengal caused by the Waqf law, calling them "disingenuous" and an effort to distract from the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh.

On Thursday, the press secretary of Bangladesh's chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, urged Indian authorities to protect the minority Muslim communities affected by the violence that erupted last week in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, which resulted in three deaths and hundreds of injuries. In response to Bangladesh's remarks, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal slammed Dhaka to focus on safeguarding the rights of its own minorities instead of making "unwarranted" comments.

"We reject the remarks made by the Bangladeshi side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal. This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India's concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free," Jaiswal said.

"Instead of making unwarranted comments and indulging in virtue signalling, Bangladesh would do better to focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities," the MEA spokesperson added. The situation in Bangladesh has been unstable since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power last year. There have been several attacks on Hindus and other minority groups by radical Islamists.

Around 200 Hindu temples have been damaged, and priests have been arrested. India has repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh at various diplomatic forums. Bangladesh has denied claims of targeted persecution against minorities. However, recent incidents, such as the destruction of Hindu temples and attacks during religious festivals, have received strong criticism from human rights groups and communities abroad.

Violence broke out in two districts near the Bangladesh border in Bengal during protests against the Waqf law. A report sent to the Home Ministry has indicated that miscreants from Bangladesh fuelled the violence. This has led to a blame game between the BJP and the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government.