New Delhi: Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, Priyanka Chaturvedi, has urged swift diplomatic action against the “widespread attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh” since early August. “Please treat this matter with the utmost seriousness. I look forward to your prompt response and action,” she wrote in a formal letter addressed to Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar.
In a stern appeal to the Indian government, Chaturvedi emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting, “Despite the Indian Government raising concerns over the issue, the situation has deteriorated alarmingly.”
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This followed the arrest of Hindu monk Shyam Das Prabhu and spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. “The attempts to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh, along with these arrests, have further escalated tensions,” Chaturvedi stated, highlighting the growing pressure on the Hindu community.
“The crisis has intensified with the arrest of Vaishnavite leader and ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been denied bail by Bangladeshi authorities, followed by attacks on three Hindu temples. Attempts to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh, along with the arrest of at least two more Brahmacharis, have further escalated tensions. These developments have fostered a climate of fear and panic among the Hindu minority in the country,” she added.
Further compounding the crisis, Bangladeshi authorities have reportedly frozen bank accounts associated with ISKCON and denied entry to more than 63 Brahmacharis with valid visas. According to Chaturvedi, these actions are “not only discriminatory but also appear to be deliberate attempts to restrict the Hindu religious community and undermine their rights.”
Given the geographical and cultural proximity of Bangladesh to India, Chaturvedi called for an urgent bilateral dialogue with Bangladesh’s caretaker government, led by Muhammad Yunus. She urged India to “hold their administration accountable for this targeted violence” and consider plans for rescue and support operations to safeguard the “lives and dignity” of Hindus in Bangladesh.