India says ready to work with new Bangladesh diplomats despite social media scrutiny
New Delhi reaffirms its commitment to advancing bilateral relations, while declining to comment on reports surrounding their past social media activity.
Highlights
- India confirms postings to Delhi and Kolkata missions
- MEA says it looks forward to strengthening bilateral ties
- New Delhi declines comment on journalists' past social media posts
- India also avoids speculation on BRICS invitation, envoy's visit
India today (24 July) responded cautiously to media reports surrounding the appointment of two Bangladeshi journalists to diplomatic missions in New Delhi and Kolkata, saying it looked forward to working with the Bangladesh High Commission while declining to comment on their past social media activity.
"We have been informed that two officers have been posted and we look forward to working with the Bangladesh High Commission to take our ties forward," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the ministry's biweekly media briefing.
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Jaiswal was responding to a question based on Indian media reports claiming that the two journalists, appointed as spokespersons at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, had previously shared social media posts that were "very critical" of India.
According to the reports, the appointments have "raised eyebrows in diplomatic circles". One newspaper also reported that several social media posts by the two journalists had been deleted by Tuesday following the official announcement of their appointments.
"The choices made by the Bangladeshi side are strange, especially as the two sides are now focused on rebuilding their relations after considerable strains seen in the past two years," the newspaper quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying.
Jaiswal did not address the reports directly and confined his remarks to India's readiness to work with the newly appointed officials to strengthen bilateral ties.
Asked about reports from Bangladesh that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi in September, Jaiswal said, "I will get back to you later on this."
He also declined to comment on media reports regarding a possible visit to Bangladesh by Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India.
