Mamata Banerjee On Bangladeshi Hindus Under Attack: 'Stand With Centre On This Issue'

The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a monk from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), along with rising attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, has provoked strong reactions from Indian leaders, urging immediate intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and international organisations.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed solidarity with the Centre on Thursday, as reported by news agency ANI. Speaking in the legislative assembly, she stated, "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 also condemned the attacks and called for resolute action. Abhishek Banerjee said, "What has happened in Bangladesh is deeply unfortunate. The Central government must act decisively."

Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticised the violence, alleging that the interim government in Bangladesh is "in the clutches of fundamentalists."* He urged the United Nations to intervene, asserting, "The attacks on Hindus and the arrest of religious leaders are inhumane and unacceptable." Singh also accused Opposition leaders of double standards for allegedly ignoring the issue of communal violence.

The situation escalated further on Monday when Bangladeshi authorities arrested ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari near Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. This, alongside continued violence against minorities, has increased tensions in the region.

India's Ministry of External Affairs voiced "deep concern" over the denial of bail to the monk and called on Bangladesh to safeguard its minority communities. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra affirmed, "We stand by the rightful position taken by the government on this matter."

However, Opposition leaders criticised the government's response. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic efforts, remarking, "India's influence in its neighbourhood is waning. Why is the Prime Minister silent while Hindus in Bangladesh face persecution?"