A religious leader has been jailed on sedition charges amid tension over the treatment of minorities in the wake of regime change
New Delhi has raised concerns over the arrest of Hindu religious leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Bangladesh by the country’s authorities amid international concern about violence against religious minorities there following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
Massive protests erupted across Bangladesh on Monday after the Hindu monk, a prominent leader of the Hindu rights advocacy group Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, was arrested at the airport in Dhaka, local media has reported.
Das is a former country leader of the religious group ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness).
The case against Das was filed in October. He and 18 others are facing charges of sedition for allegedly hoisting an ISKCON flag over the national flag of Bangladesh on August 5, the day of the mass uprising that led to Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. On Tuesday, Das was brought to Chittagong, the country’s second-largest city and main seaport. There he was presented before a local court, which rejected his bail plea and sent him to jail, according to Protom Alo newspaper.
“This incident follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” the Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
It urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety of minority communities in the country, “including their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.”
❗️Police Clash With Chinmoy Krishna Das Supporters In Chittagong
Security personnel are reportedly charging with batons amid the sound of grenades exploding after a court rejected the spiritual leader’s bail plea and sent him to jail.
Ties between Bangladesh and India have been tense ever since Hasina’s ouster. The interim leadership, appointed days after the deposed prime minister fled to New Delhi, is led by Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus. He was appointed head of the transitional government and has been tasked with restoring law and order as well as leading the country to new elections.
The Yunus administration is now seeking the extradition of the former prime minister from India, as Hasina and members of her government face criminal charges. The uprising in the country that led to her ouster has left over 1,000 people dead and many injured as protesters, predominantly students, clashed with security forces in Dhaka and other parts of the country.
New Delhi, at the same time, has been raising concerns over attacks against the Hindu minority in the Muslim-dominated country. Reports of Hindu temples, homes, and shops being vandalized appeared soon after the change of government.
Yunus, however, has rejected these reports as “propaganda,” and specifically called out Indian media for amplifying the issue. Das’s arrest followed a series of protests by Hindu groups in the country demanding more legal protection and the establishment of a minority affairs ministry under the interim government.
Leaders of local rights groups condemned the monk’s arrest on Monday. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said in a statement that this development would tarnish the country’s reputation with respect to human rights and freedom of speech, New Age reported.
