New Delhi, Dhaka: External Affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the developments in Bangladesh, including the continuing attacks on Hindus there. Jaishankar may address both Houses of Parliament on Friday on the precarious situation in the neighbouring nation.
Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is now in India, issued a statement demanding the immediate release of Hindu seer Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested by the Bangladesh police earlier this week on charges of sedition, according to reports from Dhaka, which said the statement (in Bengali) was posted on her Awami League’s X handle.
“A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released immediately,” Sheikh Hasina was quoted as saying, without directly naming the Hindu seer.
She had fled to India in August this year after being deposed as prime minister following violent student protests. “A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and homes of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalised and looted and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities should be ensured (in Bangladesh),” Hasina was quoted as further saying. It may be noted that India too had on Tuesday opposed the arrest of the Hindu seer.
Meanwhile, foreign secretary Vikram Misri will brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on the situation in Bangladesh on December 11, the panel’s chair, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, said on Thursday. Asked by reporters outside Parliament whether the panel had sought a briefing by the MEA on the Bangladesh situation, Tharoor said: “Yes, we have, we will be having a briefing on Bangladesh in a couple of weeks’ time on December 11. Next week, there are pending issues on which the foreign secretary will brief us… It (situation in Bangladesh) seems very grave and troubling. All Indians will be concerned because it is a next-door neighbour whose well-being we are concerned about. It is not only the foreign ministry (MEA) that is keeping an eye on the situation, all concerned Indians are worried about some of the reports coming in from Bangladesh. So, we will follow it very closely”.
Just a day after Iskcon in Bangladesh condemned the arrest of the Hindu seer, it reportedly distanced itself on Thursday. On Wednesday, Iskcon Bangladesh general secretary Charu Chandra Das strongly condemned the arrest of Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das and said: “We also condemn the subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh”.
On Thursday, he was quoted as saying: “Several months ago, Leelaraj Gour Das, head of Prabartak Sri Krishna Mandir, Gaurang Das, and Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of Sri Sri Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, were removed from their positions and all organisational activities within Iskcon due to violations of discipline. It was clearly stated that their actions are not representative of Iskcon.”
Reacting strongly to punitive action by Bangladesh against a Hindu seer there, India had on Tuesday said it had “noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote”. New Delhi had asked Dhaka “to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression”.
In a statement, New Delhi noted that “this incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”. It added: “It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das.”
