External Affairs Minister Jaishankar Holds Meet With PM Modi Over Attack On Hindus In Bangladesh

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday held a meeting concerning the recent unrest and alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. The External Affairs Minister was also likely to address the Parliament on the issue. But both the houses were adjourned and Jaishankar held a meeting with Modi there after the adjournment.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday expressed concern over arrest and denial of bail to a prominent former leader of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, in Bangladesh.

India has also urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus, a religious minority in the country.

“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,” the MEA said in a statement.

The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and escalating attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh have drawn sharp reactions from Indian leaders. They have called for immediate intervention by the Narendra Modi government and international bodies.

Mamata with Modi-govt on Bangladesh issue

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government stands with the Centre on the Bangladesh issue. Addressing the issue in the legislative assembly, Banerjee reportedly said, “We do not want any religion to be harmed. I have spoken to ISKCON here. Since this concerns another country, the Central government must take relevant action. We stand with them on this issue.”

On Wednesday, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee and senior leader Saugata Roy had also condemned the attacks. They had called for firm action. “What has happened in Bangladesh is deeply unfortunate. The Central government must act decisively,” Abhishek Banerjee said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

On Monday, the Bangladesh Police had arrested the ISKCON monk near Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The incident escalated tensions amid the ongoing violence against the minorities in Bangladesh.

‘Bangladesh turning into an Islamic state’

An Indian-American body had urged US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to conduct an independent enquiry into attack on the Hindus in Bangladesh.

In a letter addressed to the US President-elect, Khanderao Kand, president of Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), emphasised that the US, the State Department and the UN must act immediately to restore democracy and protect minorities in Bangladesh, reported the