Sammilita Sanatani Jote

SS

Bangladesh rejected the remarks made by India about the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, saying that the developments had been misconstrued. India’s Ministry of External Affairs had said that it was concerned about Das having been denied bail in Bangladesh.

New Delhi had also urged Dhaka to “ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression”.

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, however, said that the developments are the country’s “internal affairs”. Such “unfounded statements” by India “not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighbouring countries.”

Das is the spokesperson of SammilitaSanataniJote, an organisation that advocates for the rights of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. He was arrested in a sedition case pertaining to a rally that the group held on October 25 in Chittagong city, and the mass mobilisation was remarkable. In truth the arrest of Das had come after “multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”.

“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.” It’s a matter of concern that the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das continue despite international outcry.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the statement by New Delhi did not “reflect the harmony” that existed between the people of all faiths, and the commitment and the “efforts of the [Bangladeshi] government and the people in this regard”.

It stated that all Bangladeshi citizens, regardless of their religion, have the right to freely practise, maintain or express their religious beliefs “without hindrance”.

“Ensuring safety and security of all citizens, particularly the members of religious minorities remains a duty of the government of Bangladesh,” the statement said. “This was yet again vindicated by the peaceful observance of Durga Puja throughout Bangladesh only last month.”

Bangladesh’s judiciary is “fully independent” and the interim government was not interfering in the matter, the statement added.
Das is associated with the Hindu organisation International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, with its headquarters in the US. It has reportedly branches in about 138 countries.

The reports of Das being detained were disturbing, ISKCON had said in a press statement.

“It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world,” the organisation had said, urging Dhaka to release Das immediately.

Following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August, several parts of Bangladesh reported incidents of violence against religious minorities.

Indian Prime Minister NarendraModi had in August urged Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. Yunus had claimed that reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh had been exaggerated.

But what dozens of TV channels in India are showing day in and day out betrays Yunus government’s ignorance. Many think for the first time the minority community tried to protest against planned rioting and government’s inaction, and ISKON functionary Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari emerged as the leading figure in mobilising the minority community people under the banner of SammilitaSanataniJote. And the interim government lost no time to arrest him under false charges.

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 25, Dec 15 - 21, 2024