What India said on ISKCON and minority issues

International Desk: International Krishna Bhavna Sangh (ISCON) leader and Sanatan Jagran Manch spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari's arrest is being discussed beyond Bangladesh in India. There have been protests in different parts of the country. Even the Indian media is promoting that the persecution of minorities has increased in Bangladesh. Even the government of the country made a statement on this issue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country spoke about these issues again. India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke about this in a regular briefing on Friday (November 29). Most of the journalists present there questioned the alleged increase in persecution of minorities including Hindus in Bangladesh and wanted to know what India was doing in this regard. In response to these questions, Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We are in constant contact with Bangladesh regarding the attack on Hindus.

India has been strongly raising the issue of threats and attacks on Hindus and other minorities to the Government of Bangladesh. Our position in this regard is clear. They will fulfill the responsibility of the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of all minorities. Regarding the demand to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh and calling it an 'extremist organisation', he said, 'ISCON is globally recognized as an organization of repute. They have a good record of contributing to society.

We will once again ask the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of minorities. This spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We have made a statement about the arrest of Chinmoy Das." We have seen that the legal process is ongoing. We hope that the legal proceedings against him will be transparent and fair and that he will get his full legal rights.'' Earlier, the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India said that the arrest of Bangladesh Sanatan Sammilit Jagran Jot spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das and the denial of his bail occurred in a series of attacks by extremists on Hindus and other minority communities.

Many incidents of burning of houses and businesses of minorities, looting and vandalism of temples have been recorded. India says it is unfortunate that those involved in these incidents are on the loose, while charges have been filed against a religious leader for expressing his legitimate demands through peaceful assembly. The statement appealed to the Bangladesh government to ensure security, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression for members of Hindu and other minority communities.

It is to be noted that under the leadership of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a number of rallies were held in different areas including Chittagong and Rangpur with the 8-point demand of traditional religious people. On October 30, a case was filed against 19 people including Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

Kotwali police station of Chittagong city. A person named Feroze Khan filed the case as the plaintiff. The case was filed under the Sedition Act on charges of desecration of the national flag. Last Monday (November 25) in the afternoon from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital Dhaka, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). The day after this incident, on Tuesday (November 26), when he was taken to Chittagong court, massive violence took place. There, public lawyer Saiful Islam was hacked to death in the court premises.