Guwahati Aug 11: Amid reports of violence against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh, several right-wing outfits and workers staged a protest in Guwahati on Saturday demanding the safety and security of Hindus and Buddhists living in Bangladesh, expressing concern over the reported incidents and urging the Indian government to take a stand on the issue.
More than 300 activists from various Hindu outfits, including Kutumba Suraksha Parishad (KSP), Jai Sri Ram Sewa Bahini, Hindu Surakshya Sena (Assam), Bengali Jatiya Parishad (Assam), Jagrat Prahari, and Hindu Rakshi Dal, staged a protest in the city.
The protestors marched from Guwahati Club to the office of the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh at GNB Road, where they submitted a memorandum against the “killing of humanity” in Bangladesh, highlighting the activists’ concerns over the violence against minority communities in the country.
Kutumba Suraksha Parishad (KSP) president Satya Ranjan Borah, who led the protest, stated, “We signed and submitted a document to the Bangladesh government through the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Guwahati condemning the killing of humanity in the neighbouring country. We urged the Bangladesh government to take necessary action at an early date so that the situation can be brought under control.”
“We also demanded the Bangladesh government to stay above the level of the exclusiveness of religion, stop the cruelty in the name of religion, set the example for peace and dignity, ensure all-round safety and security of Hindus, Buddhists, and all other victim families and their places of worship,” Borah said.
“If the Bangladesh government thinks that they are not in a position to handle the situation, they should surrender to a country like India seeking all kinds of possible help to ensure humanity,” he said.
He further said the Bangladesh government should ensure that not a single Bangladeshi national could enter Indian territory.
He reiterated, “We call upon them to think of a separate autonomous state for the minorities if they are not in a position to provide the dignity of life and security to the Hindus and Buddhists living in Bangladesh.”
Another right-wing outfit, Hindu Rakshi Dal, also staged a protest in Guwahati and submitted a memorandum to the Bangladesh government through the Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in the city.
The memorandum expressed concern over the atrocities faced by minority Hindus living in Bangladesh for a considerable period. They emphasized that the majority community in Bangladesh should not forget the sacrifices made by minority Hindus during the Independence struggle and their subsequent contributions to the country’s growth and development.
The memorandum said: “Presently in the pretext of the student movement, the minority Hindus have been targeted for no justified reason, which is condemnable.”
The memorandum highlighted the subsequent political instability and turmoil in the country, which has led to escalating violence against the Hindu minority. The statement noted disturbing reports of attacks on homes, temples, and ashrams, as well as loss of life and the torture of women.
The memorandum appealed to the plight and injustices faced by minority Bangladeshi Hindus. It urged the authorities to take effective and decisive action to protect the Hindu community in Bangladesh and to implement measures that would ensure their safety, property, and religious institutions.