India Urges Bangladesh to Protect Hindu Minorities Amid Rising Violence

India raises concern over increasing violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, urging the interim government to ensure their safety. Recent attacks on temples and charges against religious leaders have heightened tensions, prompting India to advocate for minority protection in the neighboring nation.

India has voiced its concerns regarding the rising incidents of violence targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, as well as the desecration and destruction of their places of worship. The Indian government has called upon Bangladesh's interim administration to ensure the safety of these minority communities.

In response to a query from RJD MP AD Singh, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh, emphasized in a written statement to the Rajya Sabha that the responsibility for the protection of all citizens, including minorities, lies with the Bangladeshi government. Recent months have seen several reports of temple desecrations, including attacks on a Puja mandap in Dhaka and a theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple in Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024.

In October, the theft of a crown from the Jeshoreshwari temple, initially gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, sparked further outrage. Additionally, the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari on sedition charges and a petition to ban ISKCON as a 'radical organization' further fueled tensions. India continues to urge Bangladesh to protect its minority communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)