Not sure if she fully understands it: Shashi Tharoor on Mamata Banerjee's urge to deploy UN peacekeepers in Bangladesh

Speaking to PTI, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said as quoted by Hindustan Times, "I am not sure if she fully understands the role of UN peacekeepers. Having worked in UN peacekeeping myself, for many years, I can tell you that UN peacekeepers are very rarely sent inside any country except for the request by any country."

Tharoor said peacekeepers are only sent to a country when it completely collapses and that too on the request of the government.

"The government of the country has to request them but I completely agree that we have to keep an eye on what is happening," he said.

Addressing the state assembly a couple of days ago, Mamata said, "We propose that the Centre should urge the United Nations to send peacekeeping forces to Bangladesh."

"The Prime Minister should give a statement in Parliament. If he is not able to, let the External Affairs Minister do it."

"If Indians are attacked in Bangladesh, we won't tolerate it. We can bring them back. Our families, properties and people are in Bangladesh. We will accept whatever decision the India government takes," the chief minister said and added, "We strongly condemn any kind of religious attack in any part of the world. We want the central government and the Prime Minister to intervene."

At least three International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) monks have been arrested in Bangladesh, which has been witnessing attacks on Hindus after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

The fresh conflict broke out after the arrest of former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while he was travelling to Chittagong. He was denied bail.

Advocate Saiful Islam Alif, who was defending Das, was hacked to death amid the protests against the arrest.

Eversince the Sheikh Hasina government fell, relentless attacks on Hindus were carried out in Bangladesh, which is now run by an interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the unrest.

Briefing Parliament, Jaishankar said the government is taking a serious view of the violence in Bangladesh, which was formed in 1971 after it was declared independent from Pakistan through the Liberation War. 

"Primary responsibility for protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh," Jaishankar briefed the Parliament panel as quoted by NDTV.