New Delhi [India], November 28 : India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities.
In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with the Government of Bangladesh."
"Several incidents of desecration and damages to Hindu temples and deities in Bangladesh
have been reported in the past few months. The Government of India has expressed its concerns about such incidents, including the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and the theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024," MoS Singh stated in the written reply.
This comes in wake of the spike in attacks against Hindu minorities and their temples since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government.
In the month of October, a crown of the Goddess Kali was stolen from the Jeshoreshwari temple in Satkhira's Shyamnagar. This crown was gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the temple in March 2021, as reported by The Daily Star.
"The Government has also called upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship," the reply further stated.
"The primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh," it added.
Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly raising a flag on a stand displaying Bangladesh's national flag. He was presented before a Chittagong court on Tuesday. The court denied his bail plea and sent him to custody.
The arrest has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for his immediate release.
In another concerning development, a petition was filed by a lawyer demanding a ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh, calling it a "radical organization" engaging in activities designed to provoke communal unrest, as reported by the local media.