India says it doesn’t endorse Sheikh Hasina's remarks ‘especially’ against Bangladesh govt

India on Friday sought to defuse a diplomatic row with Bangladesh by distancing itself from former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's controversial press conference in New Delhi, saying the government neither organised the event nor endorsed the remarks made there against Dhaka.

The clarification came a day after Bangladesh said the event had hurt public sentiment and undermined efforts to reset bilateral ties, despite New Delhi's earlier assertion that the interaction had been organised by a private media body.

Responding to questions at the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the Government of India had no role in the event, which was hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club.

"I wish to reiterate that the Government of India had no role in this press event. This event was organised by a private media entity. Furthermore, I want to state that the government does not endorse the remarks made on that platform, particularly those concerning the government there," Jaiswal said.

His remarks mark India's clearest attempt yet to separate the government's position from the political statements made during the event, where Hasina and her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, launched a scathing attack on Bangladesh's interim administration.

Virtually addressing journalists on Wednesday, Hasina defended her government's handling of the July-August 2024 unrest and accused the current dispensation of dismantling democratic institutions. Joy, meanwhile, warned that Bangladesh was turning into "another Pakistan", alleging that Pakistan's ISI had been given a "free hand" and that convicted Islamist militants had been released.

Asked whether India shared those concerns, Jaiswal stopped short of endorsing Joy's assessment but said New Delhi remained vigilant about developments in the neighbourhood.

"We constantly monitor activities in our region and neighbourhood, and we assess everything from the perspective of our national security. We continue to closely monitor developments in our neighbourhood. Keeping our national security interests in mind, we take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard those interests," he said.

On Thursday, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had strongly condemned the event, saying allowing Hasina to address the media from Indian soil despite Dhaka's objections had hurt public sentiment and undermined efforts to rebuild bilateral ties. It also described the programme as an affront to Bangladesh's sovereignty and reiterated its demand for Hasina's extradition.

India has so far refrained from commenting on those allegations, maintaining that the event was privately organised and making it clear that the views expressed there do not reflect the official position of the Government of India.