New Delhi: Displaying resilience from inside a prison van, arrested ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das said, “We want a united Bangladesh .” For the unversed, a massive crowd gathered around the prison van ferrying Das outside the court, showing their support for the ISKCON priest with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram.’
Speaking to his followers gathered outside the Chittagong court, the Hindu leader, known for his immense popularity in the country, appealed for calm, urging his supporters to maintain peace and avoid disrupting public order.
“We are not against the state or the government. As Sanatanis, we are a vital part of the nation. Our actions will not destabilize the state or disrupt peaceful coexistence. Rather, we will transform our emotions into strength and engage in peaceful protest,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.
Earlier in the day, the magistrate court of Kazi Shariful Islam denied bail to Chinmoy Prabhu and ordered him detained pending further proceedings.
As police attempted to transport the Hindu leader to jail, hundreds of his supporters surrounded the van carrying him, forcing it to stop for over an hour before security officials fired teargas to disperse the crowd. Protesters threw stones at police during a brief confrontation, before the way was cleared and Prabhu was taken to jail.
As the tension grew, live TV showed dozens of Muslims joining the security officials, chasing Hindu protesters and throwing stones at them.
Hindus and members of other minority groups say they have faced more attacks than ever since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amid a mass uprising in August and an interim government took over. However, the Bangladesh government remained in denial claiming the threat to Hindus has been exaggerated.
Around 91% of Bangladesh’s population is Muslim, with Hindus making up almost all of the rest.
Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, faces charges of sedition filed in October after he led a huge rally in Chattogram in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag.
He was arrested in Dhaka’s main airport on Monday while traveling to Chattogram in southeastern Bangladesh.
Kushal Baran Chakrabarty, who was accompanying Chinmoy Prabhu at the time of his arrest, said that several detectives took the Hindu leader to a police car at the airport.
“Chinmoy Prabhu gave his phone to me as he was forcefully taken to the police car. The police detectives jostled with us to forcefully take his phone and they took it away. We then followed the police car that headed for the headquarters of the Detective Branch at Minto Road in Dhaka,” he said. “We stayed outside the Detective Branch’s office.”
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, an umbrella organization of the country’s minority groups, denounced the arrest of Prabhu in a statement and demanded his release.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed “deep concern” in a statement on Tuesday.
“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,” the statement said.
It also condemned attacks on peaceful protests by Hindus.
“We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression,” the ministry wrote.
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