New Delhi:
India has written to Bangladesh’s interim authorities at this time expressing “critical concern” over a number of assaults on temples, shrines and puja mandaps or pandals. The assaults embody incidents of desecration, vandalism, theft and defacement.
New Delhi, which has been keenly observing the way in which occasions are unfolding throughout Bangladesh for the reason that political disaster within the neighbouring nation, mentioned that there was a systemic sample in these assault.
Calling the current assaults “deplorable”, the Ministry of Exterior Affairs at this time mentioned, “We’ve got famous with critical concern, the assaults on a puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and the theft on the revered Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple at Satkhira.”
These assaults “observe a scientific sample of desecration and injury to temples and deities that we’ve witnessed over a number of days now,” the international ministry said.
Our assertion on assault on Puja Mandap and desecration and injury to Hindu temples in Bangladesh: pic.twitter.com/Ty746nPn5c
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 12, 2024
Urging Dhaka, New Delhi mentioned, “We name upon the Authorities of Bangladesh to make sure the security and safety of Hindus and all minorities and their locations of worship, particularly throughout this auspicious pageant time.”
Prothom Alo, a Bangladeshi newspaper, reported {that a} “crude bomb was thrown” at a Durga Puja pandal in Tantibazar space in Dhaka’s previous metropolis. The report additional said that the incident occurred on Friday and although there was a hearth after the crude bomb was thrown, there have been no accidents.
In one other incident of theft on the famend Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple, a hand-made ‘mukut’ (crown) fabricated from silver with gold plating, that was positioned on goddess Maa Kali’s idol by Prime Minister Narendra Modi throughout his go to to the temple in 2021 was stolen.
We’ve got seen reviews of theft of the crown gifted by PM Modi to Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple (Satkhira) in 2021 throughout his go to to 🇧🇩
We specific deep concern & urge Govt of Bangladesh to research theft, get better the crown & take motion towards the perpetrators@MEAIndia @BDMOFA
— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) October 11, 2024
Durga Puja is predominantly celebrated by Bengali Hindus and coincides with the Hindu pageant of Navratri. The pageant lasts 9 days-and-nights therefore the title “nav ratri’. It culminates within the pageant of Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami on the tenth day.
Non secular freedom has come beneath assault in Bangladesh beneath Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus’s stewardship of the nation after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster resulting from politically-motivated protests. Mr Yunus is at the moment the Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim authorities.
Mr Yunus nonetheless, has in current occasions known as these assaults “politically-motivated”, and never “communal”. In an interview to Press Belief of India final month, Mr Yunus had claimed the assaults weren’t communal, however a fallout of a political upheaval as there’s a notion that the majority Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime, which was led by Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh;s founder Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman.
“I’ve mentioned this to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi additionally that that is exaggerated. This difficulty has a number of dimensions. When the nation went via an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those that have been with them additionally confronted assaults,” the Nobel peace prize winner had mentioned.
