ISKCON B’desh distances itself from arrested monk

DHAKA/NEW DELHI: Amid a massive row over the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das over a sedition charge and simmering tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi over the issue of safety of Hindus and minorities, ISKCON Bangladesh distanced itself from the monk on Thursday, saying his “actions are not representative” of the religious body.

Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, the general secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, said the monk had been removed from all positions of the organisation due to a breach of discipline, according to a report in The Dhaka Tribune.

Charu Chandra Das said ISKCON had no involvement in the activities of Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested earlier this month.

“Several months ago, Leelaraj Gour Das, head of Prabartak Sri Krishna Mandir, Gaurang Das, and Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of Sri Sri Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, were removed from their positions and all organisational activities within ISKCON due to violations of discipline. It was clearly stated that their actions are not representative of ISKCON,” he said.

He also said the body wasn’t linked to the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.

Meanwhile, during Parliament’s ongoing winter session, Minister of State for External Affairs condemned the recent attacks on Hindu minorities. He expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in Bangladesh since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August.

In reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on attack on minorities in Bangladesh, the MoS on Thursday criticised incidents such as the attack on a puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka, and the theft at the Jeshoreshwati Kali temple in Satkhira during this year’s Durga Puja.

The ministry urged the caretaker government in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minority communities, as well as their places of worship.

The MEA’s statement in Parliament comes amid a fresh wave of unrest in Bangladesh over the arrest of a Hindu leader and the targeting of ISKCON and other temples by radical Islamic outfits.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Bangladesh is being targeted by fundamentalists attempting to malign its reputation because of its efforts to unite the persecuted Hindu community and resist forced conversions in the country, the religious group’s chief said.

In a telephonic interview with PTI from Dhaka, the ISKCON’s chief in Bangladesh Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari expressed relief over the High Court’s decision, rejecting demands to ban the organisation’s activities in the country.

“No government would ever agree to such demands from extremists as we are a peaceful organisation,” he said, welcoming the High Court’s order as evidence of this. Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on ISKCON’s activities in the country. Das Brahmachari called the verdict a validation of the organisation’s peaceful and humanitarian efforts.

“Banning a peaceful organisation like ISKCON would never serve any purpose. We have always worked for the betterment of humanity,” he said, adding that the fundamentalists’ campaign against ISKCON stems from the group’s efforts to support Hindus living under constant threat of persecution.

The senior monk painted a grim picture of the current situation for minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus, describing their lives as being filled with fear. Speaking to PTI, the general secretary of ISKCON in Bangladesh highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the group and the Hindu community in the country.

“Fundamentalists are attacking ISKCON because we are standing in the way of their agenda to instil fear and force Hindus into conversion. Through our teachings and initiatives, we are uniting Hindus who are living under threat,” he told the news agency.

Hindus, who constituted about 22 per cent of Bangladesh’s population during the 1971 Liberation War, now make up roughly 8 per cent, primarily due to socio-political marginalization and sporadic violence over decades.

Das Brahmachari appealed to the interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, to ensure the safety and security of Hindus. “Hindus have equal rights in Bangladesh as they, too, are children of this country,” he said.

The ISKCON functionary mentioned meeting Yunus thrice since the latter assumed office in August, during which he sought assurances for the minority community’s safety. “Yunus assured me that Hindus will live without fear. I hope this assurance becomes a reality,” he said.

The senior monk stressed that ISKCON’s activities are transparent and aimed at benefiting society at large. “Our mission is to serve humanity and preserve cultural and religious heritage. Any claims to the contrary are false and malicious,” he said. With Agency Inputs