PMO retracts Singh's Bangla remarks
New Delhi, July 2, DHNS:
Three days after his interaction with senior editors, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has found himself in an unlikely controversy.
His surprising comments that sections of Bangladeshi people are under the influence of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has raised eyebrows in the diplomatic circles and have been taken off from the official website of the PMO more than a day after it was uploaded.
Singh who is usually careful about his words had said in his media interaction that at least 25 per cent of Bangladeshs population was anti-Indian. It was splashed in the Bangladesh newspapers and TV channels.
Asked about the India-Bangladesh relations, the prime minister had said: We must reckon that at least 25 per cent of the population of Bangladesh swear by the Jamiat-e-Islami and they are very anti-Indian, and they are in the clutches, many times, of the ISI. So, the political landscape in Bangladesh can change at any time. We do not know what these terrorist elements, who have a hold on the Jamiat-e-Islami elements in Bangladesh, can be up to. Media advisor to the prime minister Harish Khare is reported to have said that the prime ministers remark was off-the-record and that it was included in the website by mistake which has been corrected now. The prime minister met the editors on Wednesday morning and the transcript of the meeting was posted on PMO website late that night.
New Delhi, July 2, DHNS:
Three days after his interaction with senior editors, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has found himself in an unlikely controversy.
His surprising comments that sections of Bangladeshi people are under the influence of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has raised eyebrows in the diplomatic circles and have been taken off from the official website of the PMO more than a day after it was uploaded.
Singh who is usually careful about his words had said in his media interaction that at least 25 per cent of Bangladeshs population was anti-Indian. It was splashed in the Bangladesh newspapers and TV channels.
Asked about the India-Bangladesh relations, the prime minister had said: We must reckon that at least 25 per cent of the population of Bangladesh swear by the Jamiat-e-Islami and they are very anti-Indian, and they are in the clutches, many times, of the ISI. So, the political landscape in Bangladesh can change at any time. We do not know what these terrorist elements, who have a hold on the Jamiat-e-Islami elements in Bangladesh, can be up to. Media advisor to the prime minister Harish Khare is reported to have said that the prime ministers remark was off-the-record and that it was included in the website by mistake which has been corrected now. The prime minister met the editors on Wednesday morning and the transcript of the meeting was posted on PMO website late that night.