Amid the row over the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh on the charges of sedition, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Thursday said it supports the cause for which Das stands while seeking a re-establishment of an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence with minorities in the neighbouring nation.
In a statement, the ISCKON wrote: "ISKCON has not and does not distance itself from supporting Chinmoy Krishna Das's rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship. We also support along with all other sanatani groups protection and safety of Hindus and re-establishing an atmosphere of peaceful co-existence with minorities in Bangladesh. Many of our press statements and interviews have made this fully clear. We have only clarified, something that was already said by us in the past many months, regarding him not officially representing ISKCON in Bangladesh."
Chinmoy Krishna, also known as Krishna Prabhu Das, was arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday evening.
Chinmoy Krishna was not only associated with the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajot (BJHM), a grand national alliance of 23 religious organisations in the country but also with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
As the news on social media about Chinmoy Krishna's arrest became public, several protests had erupted in Chittagong, demanding his release immediately.
It was learnt that the protesters marched and rallied at the Cheragi intersection in the city, where they shouted slogans and chanted his name, demanding his release.
Several viral videos emerged on social media late on Monday evening indicated that the Bangladeshi policemen were targeting the protestors marching towards the Cheragi intersection.
The incidents of vandalism, looting, arson, land grabbing, and threats to leave the country have been repeatedly inflicted on the Hindu community after the interim government was sworn in on August 8 under the leadership of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad had earlier sent an 'open letter' to Yunus, expressing "profound sorrow and concern" over a particular group's "unprecedented violence" against the minorities.
Earlier, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh had strongly condemned the "tortures" on ordinary people that are allegedly undertaken by the interim government here headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. Yesterday, this country's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called for the immediate release of the Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha spokesman and Pundarik Dham director, jailed in Chittagong.
"A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested; he must be released at once," Hasina said in a statement, her first public statement since her hasty departure from the country last month after the so-called 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' in August.
As the shocking development continues to invite severe backlash from Hindus all over the world, Hasina spotlighted several incidents of persecution of members of minority communities that have been reported from across 52 districts in Bangladesh since her resignation on August 5, this year.
"A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Earlier, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and houses of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalized and looted and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities should be ensured," she stated.
"After the killing of innumerable Awami League leaders and workers, students and members of the law and order forces, harassment is going on through assaults and arrests. I strongly condemn and protest against these anarchist activities," Hasina added.
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