India does not endorse remarks by Hasina: Jaiswal

India said today that it does not endorse remarks made by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a virtual news conference in New Delhi on August 5.

Responding to Bangladesh's strong condemnation of allowing Hasina to engage with Indian media and make provocative statements, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have made our stand clear before the event. I am reiterating that position. The government had no role to play in an event organised by a private media entity."

Hasina had appeared at the event, dubbed Hasina's Homecoming, organised by the Foreign Correspondents of South Asia.

Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that the Indian government had no role in organising the event.

Responding to questions, he said the government did not endorse anything said at the forum, especially with regard to the duly constituted government of Bangladesh.

On Sajeeb Wazed Joy's statements that Bangladesh "was turning into Pakistan" and whether it raised Indian concerns, he said, "We keep a close watch on all the developments in our immediate neighbourhood especially those related to our national security and whatever steps needed to be taken will be taken."

Dhaka expressed outrage on Wednesday at deposed prime minister Hasina being allowed to engage with the media in New Delhi, where she and other members of her party launched "venomous vitriol" against Bangladesh and its people.

The foreign ministry issued a statement in this regard.

The 78-year-old former prime minister addressed a virtual news conference hosted by the FCC, but she did not announce any concrete plans to return.

Former cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan also addressed the event.

India had, on July 31, clarified that Hasina was not allowed to undertake any political activities from its territory, even as Dhaka's request for her extradition remained under examination by the Indian authorities.

The Indian government informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that Hasina had not been provided any political platform or space to carry out political activities from Indian soil, the Times of India reported.