Thursday, 28 November 2024
Thursday, 28 November 2024
The controversial arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari has plunged Bangladesh’s political and social landscape into chaos, sparking international condemnation and highlighting escalating tensions under the country’s interim government.
Violent protests continued for the second day across Bangladesh, while in India, political parties protested in Calcutta and Agartala. And one Union minister to the deputy leader of the Opposition spoke out during the winter session of the Parliament.
A case was filed against Das and 18 others on October 30 at Chattogram’s Kotwali Police Station leader on the complaint of a leader of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which accused them of disrespecting the national flag in the city’s Laldighi Maidan during a rally of the Hindu community on Oct 25.
Authorities apprehended him at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Police apprehended Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, as he was travelling to Chattogram to join a rally.
Protests in Chattogram over Das’s detention turned violent, leading to the death of assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam. Clashes between Das’s supporters and security personnel escalated, with Islam critically injured and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Authorities have detained at least 30 suspects in connection with the violence.
Former Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, now in exile, has painted a grim picture of his homeland.
“Fuelling anti-India rhetoric, emboldening fundamentalists and terror forces are interlinked strategies that have driven Bangladesh into total anarchy,” Mahmud asserted. He blamed the interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, for fostering an environment where ‘mobocracy’ has replaced democracy.
“Extremist groups, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have become active after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he added, underscoring fears of a worsening crisis for the country’s Hindu community.
Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, ISKCON Bangladesh’s General Secretary, condemned the arrest and the subsequent violence targeting Hindus. “We express our serious concern and strongly denounce the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das... We also condemn the subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh,” he said, calling on authorities to promote ‘peaceful coexistence’ for the Hindu community.
The situation in Bangladesh has reverberated across the border on Wednesday, with Indian political parties and leaders weighing in. Union minister Giriraj Singh urged the United Nations to intervene. “The caretaker ‘prime minister’ of Bangladesh is in the clutches of fundamentalists. The way Hindus are being attacked is against humanity,” Singh stated in the Parliament complex.
The Congress party expressed “deep concern at the atmosphere of insecurity being faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh.”
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said, "The news of the arrest of the saint of ISKCON Temple in Bangladesh and the continuing violence against minority Hindus are extremely worrying. I appeal to the Central Government to intervene in this matter and strongly raise the issue of ensuring the safety of minorities before the Bangladesh Government."
Deputy leader of Opposition and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi said, “We are very concerned about what is happening in Bangladesh. A few days ago, ISKCON’s chairperson was arrested and his supporters were attacked. I want to know where is the ‘Vishwaguru’ (PM Narendra Modi)? Where is Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Why is the situation in Bangladesh volatile despite PM Modi’s leadership? PM Modi is trying to make peace between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Palestine. But ever since PM Modi has come to power, India’s prominence in the neighbourhood is diminishing. PM Modi is silent on Bangladesh. India should take a firm stand but we are not seeing that happen.”
Pawan Khera, chairman of the party’s Media and Publicity Department, called on the Indian government to press for the safety and security of minorities in the neighbouring country.
“The Indian National Congress expects the government of India to prevail upon the Bangladesh government to take necessary steps and ensure security of life and property of minorities in the country”. Khera said.
In Calcutta, the BJP took out a rally to the Bangladesh High Commission, led by the leader of Opposition. Suvendu Adhikari. The state unit of the Congress took out a rally too.
ISKCON Calcutta spokesperson Radharaman Das revealed that threats against ISKCON monks and other Hindu religious orders had been escalating in Bangladesh. “The situation is alarming,” he said, adding that they had approached India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Home Ministry for intervention.
In Assam, Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha has also taken up the issue, appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for diplomatic intervention. “His arrest under flimsy charges has raised serious concern about the targeting of religious figures who speak out against the injustice and oppression faced by Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country,” Purkayastha wrote.
Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan appealed for unity in condemning Das’s arrest and urged Muhammad Yunus to take action. “We urge and plead Bangladesh Govt under Mohammed Yunus to stop atrocities on Hindus,” Kalyan said in a post on X.
Earlier, on November 6, the US state department had said that the protection of Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh is a top priority that they discuss in diplomatic meetings with the government of Bangladesh.
With Sheikh Hasina’s ouster on August 5, it has been feared that the 13 million Hindus living in Bangladesh could face persecution from the newly formed interim government. Under Hasina, who was perceived to be close to India, it was claimed that the country’s minorities were safer.
