Dhaka, April 18 -- India has shrugged off the call from Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Bangladesh's chief advisor, to ensure the safety of Muslim minorities in the neighbouring country, asking asking Dhaka to "focus on protecting the rights of its minorities" instead of "virtue signalling".

On Friday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), responded to Shafiqul's comment on the developments in West Bengal amid protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the Indian Express reported.

"This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India's concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free," Jaisw...