“Urge Bangladesh To Ensure Minorities’ Safety”: India On Arrest Of Hindu Priest

India on Tuesday condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a Hindu priest and a spiritual minority chief in Bangladesh. In a press release, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) additionally urged the Bangladeshi authorities to make sure the protection and safety of Hindus and all different minorities. Chandan Kumar Dhar, also called Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a distinguished former chief of the Worldwide Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, was arrested at a Dhaka airport on Monday afternoon. He was denied bail by a Dhaka court docket on Tuesday.

“Now we have famous with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who can also be the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows the a number of assaults on Hindus and different minorities by extremist components in Bangladesh,” the assertion learn.

The MEA famous that there are a number of documented instances of arson and looting of minorities’ properties and enterprise institutions, in addition to theft, vandalism and desecration of deities and temples in Bangladesh. 

“It’s unlucky that whereas the perpetrators of those incidents stay at massive, fees needs to be pressed towards a spiritual chief presenting authentic calls for by peaceable gatherings,” MEA stated.

Our assertion on the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das:https://t.co/HbaFUPWds0 pic.twitter.com/cdgSx6iUQb

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 26, 2024

India additionally expressed concern concerning the assaults on minorities protesting peacefully towards the arrest of the Hindu chief. 

“We urge Bangladesh authorities to make sure the protection and safety of Hindus and all minorities, together with their proper of freedom of peaceable meeting and expression.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a frontrunner of the Hindu group Sammilita Sanatani Jote, chief was first detained at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal Worldwide Airport in reference to a sedition case filed towards him in Chattogram, in accordance with a report by The Day by day Star. 

The sedition case towards the non secular chief and 18 others was filed on October 31 in Chattogram, the report stated. 

The arrest follows protests led by the Hindu group within the metropolis of Rangpur, positioned almost 300 km north of Dhaka, demanding stronger authorized protections and a ministry devoted to minority affairs.

Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest got here amid tensions over minority rights within the South Asian nation that has seen widespread political violence since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Hindus comprise roughly 8 per cent of Bangladesh’s 170 million individuals. For the reason that ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina, the brand new military-backed interim authorities led by Mohammed Yunus has confronted criticism for failing to curb a spike in violence towards minorities.