Dhaka, November 26 The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent ISKCON leader, in Bangladesh has sparked outrage among religious leaders and communities in India as well as worldwide.
The arrest took place at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and he has been charged with sedition. This has led to widespread condemnation, with leaders from various Hindu organizations calling for his immediate release and urging global leaders to address the growing intolerance and harassment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The 'Sant Samaj' in India, objecting strongly to his illegal arrest by Bangladesh police, urged global leaders to speak out against the growing intolerance and repeated harassment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Monday also urged the government to take immediate steps to secure the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Condemning the arrest, Mahant Balak Das, Patalpuri Peethadheeshwar, stated, “This is outright targeting of Hindus. If Hindus do not stand up for Sanatan Dharma, then who will? This arrest is condemnable. Those harboring wrong intentions against Sanatan Dharma must be punished. I demand his immediate release and action against the wrongdoers.”
Mahant Jagdishwar Das echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Everyone has equal rights, but in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, atrocities against Hindus continue unchecked. The Hindu minority has decreased from five percent to one percent of the population, while in India, minorities have grown from five percent to 20 percent, living peacefully alongside Hindus. This arrest is unjust. National and international courts must take action to protect religious freedom.”
Mahamandaleshwar Purushottam Das Ji Maharaj pointed out “The atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh are known worldwide. This arrest is a clear violation of religious freedom and must be condemned. The Sant Samaj demands immediate action to address this injustice.”
Acharya Ved Bihari Maharaj from Vrindavan remarked, “The behavior of Bangladesh towards Hindus is deplorable. Wearing a dhoti and a kurta is even prohibited there. If such actions occurred in India, international organizations would quickly speak out. However, the silence on the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh is disheartening."
"Chinmoy Krishna Das was only advocating for Sanatan Dharma, and this does not warrant such drastic action. If a Sanatan flag was given more importance over a national flag, action could have been taken specifically for that—but targeting Hindus as a whole is wrong,” he added.
