Bangladesh: Iskcon (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has slammed the Bangladesh government for detaining prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the religious organisation said that “it is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world.”
Demanding an immediate release of the monk, the organisation has also sought an intervention by the Government of India in the case. “ISKCON, Inc. urges the Government of India to take immediate steps and speak to the Government of Bangladesh and convey that we are a peace-loving Bhakti movement,” the organisation said in its social media post.
Das was reportedly detained by the ‘members of the Detective Branch of the police’ on Dhaka Airport on Monday. Latest reports from the Bangaldeshi capital say that Chinmoy Krishna Das has been produced in a local court today. Bangladeshi officials have charged the Hindu leader for sedition.
The development comes days after Krishna Das held a massive rally demanding justice for Hindu community. Das has been demanding more protection for Hindus in Bangladesh in view of the new wave of attacks against the minority.
New Delhi has reacted sharply on the case. "We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples," India's Ministry External Affairs said in the statement.
Meanwhile, chorus is growing for release of the monk. In a post on X, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev expressed his worries on a 'democratic nation disintegrating to become theocratic and autocratic.'
".Persecution on the basis of religion or weakness of demographics is not the way of democratic nations. Unfortunately, our neighborhood has slipped away from democratic principles," the religious leader said in the post.
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