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Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Tuesday condemned the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das by the Bangladesh authorities and said that it is not going to do any good to the country or its image.
Stating that the Hindu priest was merely raising the issue of atrocities against minorities, Ravi Shankar said the arrest is "unbecoming of a Prime Minister." He further stated that he expected "much more" from the Noble Peace Prize laureate and the chief advisor to the interim Bangladesh government, Muhammad Yunus. "It is unbecoming of a Prime Minister of a neighbouring country to arrest a spiritual leader. He is not taking weapons, he is not taking guns, he is caring for his people. He is just standing up for the rights and wants the government to hear the atrocities that are happening to the minorities there. Arresting religious priests is not going to do any good to them or to the people or to the country or even to the image of Bangladesh," Ravi Shankar said. "We expect much more from Professor Mohammad Yunus who has got the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing peace and security to people and that's why he has been put there as a Prime Minister. We will not expect him to take such action which would further create more tension between the communities and fear," he added. Sri Ravi Shankar further urged the Bangladesh government to take care of the minorities and control the "radical elements" in the country who are "ransacking" their own country and its image. "We request the government of Bangladesh to please take care of their minorities and control the radical elements that ransacking your own country and its image. Bangladesh has been known as a very liberal and progressive country. Do you want to take the country backwards? It's a very sorry state of affairs," he said. The spiritual leader also urged the Indian government and international community to put pressure on Bangladesh for the security of minorities. "I hope the government of India also puts pressure, and I call for the international community to not let this go the way it is going and put pressure to bring security and safety to the minorities and make people safe there," he said. Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on Monday, was produced before the Chittagong court that refused to entertain his bail plea and sent him to custody on Tuesday. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was presented before Judge Kazi Shariful Islam of the Chittagong Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at 11am on Tuesday. His lawyers filed a bail petition, which was rejected by the court, ordering him to be sent to jail, as reported by The Dhaka Tribune. Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner Kazi Md Tarek Aziz said Chinmoy was brought to Chittagong by road at night. He faces a sedition case at Kotwali police station, and he was arrested in connection with that case and brought to court. (ANI)
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