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Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan on Tuesday raised concerns regarding the Bangladesh issue, in the context of a recent incident where several monks were reportedly stopped from entering the country and said that the government should intervene on the matter and urged steps to be taken to gather information about the safety of those involved.
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan stated, "We said yesterday too that a few monks coming to India were stopped. So, our government should intervene as it is a matter of the security of minorities." "The Prime Minister should take the Opposition into confidence. Whenever such international controversies occur, we talk to each other. We hope that PM Modi intervenes and gathers information on their security," said Ranjan. Notably, India has tightened visa curbs after the escalation of violence against various religious minorities in the neighbouring country. Reportedly, over 60 monks were stopped at Benapole land port in Bangladesh over the weekend and were not allowed to enter India, as claimed by a spokesperson of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kolkata. ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharaman on Tuesday urged the Bangladesh government to provide security to the advocate of Chinmoy Krishna Das citing the recent attack on his previous advocate. Reportedly, Chinmoy Krishna Das's previous advocate Raman Roy is currently in serious condition in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after being attacked. There was no relief for Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das who was arrested on alleged sedition charges. On Tuesday, a Bangladesh court set January 2, 2025, as the next date of hearing in the case. Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is currently in custody, is expected to remain in jail. The Daily Star Bangladesh reported that the Chattogram court deferred the hearing on the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das to January 2. Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam set the new date for the hearing as the defence lawyer was absent from the court. Earlier, police ramped up security at the court premises ahead of the hearing. Additional police patrols were seen at various points in the court area. A group of lawyers were also seen bringing out a procession. However, the accused was not produced in the court, reported the Daily Star. Chinmoy Krishna Das who is associated with the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested in Dhaka on November 25. The arrest followed a complaint filed on October 31 by a local politician that accused Chinmoy Das and others of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag during a rally of the Hindu community. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly criticised Das' arrest and the denial of his bail. The arrest has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for his immediate release. ISKCON had earlier expressed solidarity with Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly raising a flag on a stand displaying Bangladesh's national flag. In a post on X, ISKCON, Inc. stated, "ISKCON, Inc. stands with Chinmoy Krishna Das. Our prayers to Lord Krishna for the protection of all these devotees. " ISKCON has further claimed that Bangladesh authorities have arrested two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, and the secretary of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Earlier, in another concerning development, a petition was also filed by a lawyer demanding a ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh, calling it a "radical organization" engaging in activities designed to provoke communal unrest, as reported by the local media. The petition in Bangladesh has alleged that ISKCON has been promoting religious events with the intent of inciting sectarian violence, imposing its beliefs on traditional Hindu communities, and forcibly recruiting members from lower Hindu castes. (ANI)
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