India concerned over ‘surge of extremism and violence’ against Hindus in Bangladesh: ‘Arrest of Chinmoy Das is…’
India has urged Bangladesh to protect minorities amid outrage over the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das.
India has reiterated calls for Bangladesh to ‘protect minorities’ on Friday amid growing outrage over the arrest of a Hindu priest. The developments came soon after Chinmoy Krishna Das was denied bail this week following his arrest for ‘disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag’ during a rally.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar told the Lok Sabha on Friday that the Indian administration has seen numerous reports of ‘violence against Hindus and other minorities’ — including attacks against their homes and businesses as well as incidents targeting temples and other religious places.
“The government have taken serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh. Reports of attacks on temples and puja mandaps also came to light during the recent Durga Puja festival in Bangladesh. The government had expressed serious concerns regarding the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024,” he explained.
“Our position on the matter is clear — the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps to protect minorities,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal added on Friday.
One person was killed, and several others were injured this week as protesters clashed with the police in Chittagong and Dhaka. Counter-protests have also emerged demanding a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in recent days.
"Cases against individuals and legal processes are underway. We hope and expect that these processes will be dealt with in a fair, just and transparent manner, ensuring full respect for these individuals and all those who are concerned,” he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs also reiterated its stance on ISKON as a “globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service” during the briefing on Friday. It remains unclear whether Das is a member of the grouping at present — with representatives claiming that he had been expelled sometime earlier.
“We expelled Chinmoy long before the case was filed against him for breaching ISKCON's discipline. He was relieved of his duties, but he defied the order and continued his activities,” ISKON Bangladesh president Satya Ranjan Barai told AFP on Friday.
An official post by the ISKON handle, however, expressed solidarity following his arrest.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsWorldIndia concerned over ‘surge of extremism and violence’ against Hindus in Bangladesh: ‘Arrest of Chinmoy Das is…’
First Published:29 Nov 2024, 04:12 PM IST
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