Modi advised Suu Kyi not to destroy image, says Sushma Swaraj

Dhaka: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advised Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi not to “destroy” her image over her stance on the Rohingya issue as Myanmar’s military actions in Rakhine state sparked a global outrage.

Ms Swaraj referred to Modi’s advice as she called on Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after joining the 4th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission meeting with her counterpart A.H. Mahmood Ali.

“He (Modi) told her (Suu Kyi) ‘you have a very good international image, don’t destroy it’,” the Bangladesh premier’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told PTI, quoting Ms Swaraj as saying during her meeting with Ms Hasina at her residence.

It is not clear when Mr Modi made the comments, however, Bangladeshi media reports claimed he said this in September when he met Suu Kyi during his first bilateral visit to Myanmar.

Mr Karim said Ms Swaraj extended her full support to Bangladesh’s stance that Myanmar must take back its nationals and must not punish innocent people while fighting terrorism. “Myanmar may punish the terrorists, not innocent people,” he quoted Ms Swaraj as saying.

Ms Swaraj appreciated Bangladesh’s stand on the Rohingya issue but described the exodus of forcibly displaced people as a “big burden for Bangladesh”. “It’s a big burden for Bangladesh, and how long will Bangladesh bear this?” she said referring to the exodus of the forcibly displaced people.