New Delhi, February 23: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs to address the "atrocities, violence, and state-sponsored genocide/persecution" of Hindus in Bangladesh. The petition urges the Court to direct the Ministry to take immediate remedial actions to protect the Hindu minority community from ongoing persecution.
According to the case list posted on the Supreme Court’s website, the bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, alongside Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, is scheduled to hear the PIL on February 24 (Monday).
The petition also requests the extension of cut-off dates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, for Bangladeshi Hindus who have fled to India due to the recent violence, atrocities, and political persecution in Bangladesh.
The PIL claims that in July-August 2024, Bangladesh witnessed the collapse of a democratically elected government, with control of the administration shifting to factions supported by radical Islamist groups. These groups, the petition argues, advocate for the persecution and expulsion of Hindus and other minorities from the country.
Following the change in government, the petition alleges that state-sponsored attacks have been targeting Hindu minorities, with widespread violence against individuals, properties, and religious establishments. The PIL cites numerous disturbing videos on social media showing the killing of minority community members, the destruction of temples, and illegal arrests. Advocate Manohar Pratap has filed the petition.
Additionally, the PIL refers to a response from the Minister of State for External Affairs, who confirmed that the Indian government is aware of the ongoing attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on February 7, Union Minister Kirti Vardhan noted that between November 26, 2024, and January 25, 2025, 76 cases of attacks on Hindus were reported. These incidents included the deaths of 23 Hindus and 152 attacks on Hindu temples.
