02 December,2024 07:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal Ashar
The crowd surges forward against the police barricades. Pic/Satej Shinde
Hindu outfits - the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal - led a protest at the South Mumbai tip of Cuffe Parade outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh on Monday afternoon. The protest, they said, was triggered by atrocities against the Hindu (minority) community in Bangladesh. It was sparked particularly by the recent detention of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari at the Dhaka airport. Brahmachari, a former leader of the ISKCON, was arrested on November 25. Since then, reports have followed about the concerning situation for Hindus there, with the latest being that International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) monks from Bangladesh were stopped from flying to India.
Though Hindu organisations and their workers were at the forefront of the protest, the crowd had surged with locals, corporate office workers, and Mumbaikars from suburbs too eventually joining in the protest, which started with groups emerging carrying banners declaring Hindus were under threat in Bangladesh. As shouts of "Jai Shree Ram" rent the air, some chanted "Haye, haye Bangladesh" and "Muhammad Yunus Murdabad." Yunus is Bangladesh's Chief Advisor.
The numbers swelled as the dharna gained traction with several pushing against the police barricades. Then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha arrived to show support. As shouts of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram" resonated, with the Bajrang Dal stating it is ready on the maidan during any struggle for the Hindus, "Hinduon ke sangram mein, Bajrang Dal maidan mein." VHP leaders Shriraj Nair and Mohan Salekar stated that they were against "the jihadi-terrorist mindset that seems to have permeated that country."
There were several statements about Bangladesh once being seen as a friendly country, but now relations have been inordinately strained. While leaders gave speeches, it was the voice of the common people that showed the deep anger and resentment at the unrest roiling Bangladesh.
One Sunil Mehta stated that this is not just about Hindus. "We want to see our Muslim brethren here, the Maulvis too, raise their voices in protest." Jyoti Ghorpade from ISKCON, who was in the crowd, stated, "We do not want to see devotees detained for no reason. The government there has to give protection."
A disgruntled supporter who was not allowed to go beyond a police barricade stated, "We have a BJP government, but we are not allowed to protest peacefully. What is the use?" By then, several speakers were talking about democracy in India, where the Constitution rules, and Sharia law creeping into Bangladesh.
A group of women, some working in Cuffe Parade, others from other parts of SoBo, asked this reporter, "Tell us why Hindus are being massacred there. These attacks are totally unprovoked. What have these monks done? We have so many illegal Bangladeshi immigrants here. Some of them have refugee status in India. We need to boycott Bangladeshi goods so it will hurt them economically."
Through the protest, there were plenty of reminders about India's role in the creation of Bangladesh. People asked why larger Bollywood was silent about the atrocities. They also referenced how Bangladesh cricketers were not picked for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) in a mix of history (the war) and contemporary news. The VHP stated it had given a written communication, signed by senior leaders Mohan Salekar and Shailesh Trivedi, to the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh, focusing on the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. An excerpt from that letter stated, "This arrest not only undermines democratic principles but also sets a dangerous precedent for the suppression of religious leaders and minority voices."
Nov 25
Day when Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested in Dhaka
Mumbai's Dr Abraham Mathai, former vice-chairman of the Minorities Commission, said, "There is grave and justifiable concern over the ongoing targeting and persecution of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus must be withdrawn as he has failed to take a bold stand against the persecution of Hindu minorities, succumbing instead to the influence of radical Islamist elements."
Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. "A true recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize must demonstrate leadership that doesn't discriminate," Mathai added.
