West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday called for a United Nations’ peacekeeping force to be deployed in Bangladesh amid a surge in violence against Hindus and other religious minority groups in the country, reported NDTV.

The Trinamool Congres leader also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direct intervention to ensure the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh, where three Hindu monks were arrested on charges of sedition in the past week.

The Bangladesh police first arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das on November 25 for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally on October 25 in Chittagong. This was followed by the arrest of two other monks on Friday after they delivered medicines to Das in prison.

Bangladesh has been witnessing violence since August, when a student-led protest forced the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government, following which an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was instated.

“We have families, properties and loved ones in Bangladesh,” Banerjee told the West Bengal Assembly on Monday. “We accept whatever stance the Government of India takes on this…but we condemn atrocities on religious grounds anywhere in the world and appeal to the Union government, and the prime minister, to intervene.”

“If Indians are attacked in Bangladesh, then we cannot tolerate it,” the chief minister added. “We can bring back our people…Government of India can take this matter up with the United Nations so a peacekeeping force can be sent.”

These comments mark a departure from Banerjee’s stance on the issue. On Thursday, she had said that the violence in Bangladesh was a matter for the Centre to address and did not fall under her state government’s jurisdiction.

On Friday, India’s foreign ministry reiterated its concern over the alleged attacks on Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh and called for a “fair and transparent” trial for Chinmoy Krishna Das.

However, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the developments surrounding Das’s arrest are the country’s “internal affairs.” It rejected India’s remarks on Tuesday urging Dhaka to “ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression”.

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