With Bangladesh joining Nepal and Pakistan in protesting the implications of the ‘Akhand Bharat’ mural on the walls of the new Parliament complex, India has sought to play the issue down, saying it was not a political map, but it only depicted the cultural similarities among the countries of the region.
Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar ‘clarified’ in a press conference, on 8 June, “This is not a political map. We hope that our friendly neighbours understand it. As far as the PoK is concerned, the Indian Parliament has a very clear stand on it.”
The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi reiterated that the mural showed only the spread of the Ashokan Empire and the idea of a responsible and people-oriented government he adopted and propagated. According to Bagchi, the mural has nothing to do with politics but only represents cultural similarities and the journey of people during that time.
Earlier, Md Shahriar Alam, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, had instructed the Bangladesh Embassy in New Delhi, to seek an explanation from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, on the mural.
Alam was quoted in the Dhaka Tribune as saying, “There is no reason to express doubts about it. However, for further clarification, we have asked the mission in Delhi to speak to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to find out what their official explanation is.”
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the leading opposition outfit, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, too expressed his concern over the map and stated, "Displaying Bangladesh as part of the undivided map of any other country is a threat to the country's independence and sovereignty."
The mural, since the inauguration of the new Parliament building, has received mixed responses on Twitter. While some interpreted the mural as “the first step towards Akhand Bharat,” others deemed it to be provocative. The mural which shows an ancient map of the Indian subcontinent, sparked a series of diplomatic inquiries and concerns from neighbouring countries, Nepal being the first in line. Former Prime Minister and leader of the Nepal Socialist Party, Baburam Bhattarai questioned the intent of the mural and claimed that the mural might lead to unnecessary tensions in the neighbourhood.
Pakistan also expressed concerns over the controversial Akhand Bharat map, joining Nepal. Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, quoted in The Nation, said that “instead of nurturing hegemonic and expansionist designs, India should resolve disputes with its neighbours for a peaceful and prosperous South Asia”.