Menon to visit B’desh to gauge the crisis

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon is off to Dhaka this weekend ostensibly for foreign office consultations with his counterpart in the interim administration in Bangladesh.  Menon will take the opportunity to get a sense of what is happening in a country where the army is effectively calling the shots on the plea of cleaning the country of corrupt politicians.

Ironically, despite globally championing the cause of democracy, India is ready to do business with the interim government, which has kept democracy on hold, because the current regime is inclined to take note of India’s concerns. For New Delhi, good relation with its eastern neighbour is critical, because it impinges on India’s security.

Also, extremist groups like the ULFA have long used Bangladesh as a base for launching attacks in Assam. New Delhi has over the years urged successive governments in Dhaka to crack down on ULFA camps but to no avail. Even a friendly government like Sheikh Hasina’s, have not been able to deliver. This is because any pro India action by Hasina would be interpreted as taking dictation from Big Brother.