India’s new parliament map angers neighbours, Bangladesh demands explanation
Tensions have risen among South Asian nations, including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, after the unveiling of a map in India’s new parliament building. The Akhand Bharat, or Undivided India, map includes parts of Afghanistan, as well as the entirety of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry has sought clarification from New Delhi on the matter.
Shahriar Alam, Bangladesh’s junior minister for foreign affairs, instructed the Bangladeshi embassy in New Delhi to contact India’s foreign ministry for an official explanation. India’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, stated that the mural represents the ancient Mauryan Empire and King Ashoka’s concept of responsible and people-oriented governance. However, during the inauguration of the new parliament building, India’s minister for parliamentary affairs, Pralhad Joshi, referred to the mural as a map of the Akhand Bharat, a controversial concept that envisions an ethnic Hindu nation in the subcontinent.
Nepal’s former Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, criticised the inclusion of Nepali territories in the map, calling it unfair. He urged the Nepalese Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, to request the Indian government to remove the mural and correct the mistake. However, reports suggest that Dahal did not raise the issue during his meetings with Indian officials.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, also expressed concerns over the idea of Akhand Bharat, describing it as a manifestation of an expansionist mindset. No official statements have been made by Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, or Myanmar regarding the matter.
