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Informist, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024

NEW DELHI – Three Lok Sabha members of the Bharatiya Janata Party raised on Wednesday the issue of alleged atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to secure the release of a monk of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, who has been held on a sedition charge.

Hema Malini, Dilip Saikia, and Anil Firojiya, who represent Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Darrang-Udalguri in Assam, and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, respectively, flagged the issue in the Lower House. The constituencies are home, respectively, to the Krishna Janmabhoomi, Kamakhya temple, and Mahakal temple.

Hema Malini said Hindus are facing "atrocities" at the hands of "radicals" in Bangladesh, and their safety and security are under threat. "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is established all over the world, and it has nearly 1,000 centres today," the actress-turned-parliamentarian said. "They are known for spreading Vedic culture all over the world, and spreading Krishna consciousness and peace. They are doing wonderful work for humanity."

She said a number of members of the organisation from Mathura had requested her to raise the issue in Parliament, and urged the government to take necessary steps to protect Hindus in Bangladesh and secure the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, the ISKCON monk who is under arrest.

Saikia said Parliament should adopt a resolution and urge the Bangladesh government to stop the atrocities on Hindus. "Hindus were killed, their maths and mandirs burnt down," he said. "Their business establishments were also burnt down. Their right to worship was snatched away. ISKCON swamis were forcefully put in jail without hearing their pleas, and their advocates were brutally tortured."

Firojiya also sought Modi's intervention to secure Das's release.

The Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, demanded a statement by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in both Houses of Parliament. Trinamool leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay told reporters that the government should summon Bangladesh's high commissioner.

Bangladesh has witnessed violent agitations following the arrest and denial of bail to Das, known for advocating the rights of religious minorities. A lawyer was killed outside a court in Chittagong by a mob and more than 20 people were injured in clashes Nov. 26.

Das had reportedly organised several protests to draw attention to the alleged atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed was ousted from power in August by a popular uprising. Sheikh Hasina is now in exile in India. Several incidents of attacks on members of minority communities have been reported in Bangladesh after her ouster. An interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is currently in charge in Dhaka.  End

Reported by Kuldeep Singh

Edited by Rajeev Pai

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