Former diplomat and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has voiced strong support for granting extended refuge to deposed Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India.
Speaking at the 16th Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Aiyar remarked, “I think we should be her host as long as she wants, even if it is for all her life.”
Aiyar expressed satisfaction with Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to Dhaka, during which discussions were held with Bangladeshi authorities.
He stressed that dialogue should continue and called for ministerial-level engagement with the interim government of Bangladesh to strengthen ties.
Hasina, 77, fled Bangladesh on August 5 after a massive student-led movement ended her 16-year regime. Despite demands from Dhaka for her extradition, Aiyar highlighted Hasina's contributions to India, stating, “Sheikh Hasina has done a lot of good for us. I am glad she was given refuge.”
Acknowledging reports of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Aiyar said that while these incidents are true, they have often been 'exaggerated'.
He attributed some of the violence to political tensions, explaining, “Many of the conflicts are more about settlement of political differences.”
Delving into Indo-Pakistani relations, Aiyar emphasised the shared cultural roots of the two nations, observing, “There exists much more difference in me as a Tamil and my wife as a Punjabi, than between her and a Pakistani Punjabi.”
Criticising the current Indian government’s approach, he stated, “We have the courage to undertake surgical strikes, but this government does not have the courage to sit across the table with them.”
He added that Pakistan, while being a perpetrator of terror, is also its victim, pointing to the Taliban’s rise in Afghanistan as a significant challenge for Islamabad.
Aiyar commended former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for initiating back-channel talks with Pakistan on Kashmir, referencing General Musharraf's four-point agreement.
“It is suicidal for us to continue wearing Pakistan around our neck like the albatross. We should just talk to them as Manmohan Singh showed on the issue of Kashmir,” he said.
During a discussion on his recent book, Aiyar touched upon his relationship with the Gandhi family, his political journey within the Congress party, his academic days at Cambridge, and his perspectives on contemporary issues in India.
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