Shillong: The Central Puja Committee, the apex body of Hindu religious organisations in Meghalaya, on Sunday condemned the “Taliban-style attack” targeting the Hindu minority group in Bangladesh during the recently concluded Durga Puja celebrations.
In a protest meeting held at Shillong Dharma Hindu Sabha which was attended by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliate Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bongo Bhashi Mahasabha Foundation (BBMF), the CPC has also appealed to the Bangladesh government to take strict action against the perpetrators and ensure the protection of Hindus and their freedom to practise their religion and beliefs.
Hindus make up some 10 per cent of Muslim-majority Bangladesh’s 169 million population.
“The premeditated attack launched over different regions and districts of Bangladesh, with hundreds of people actively engaged in a Taliban style genocide and destruction, is a blatant infringement on freedom of religion and belief practised by the Hindu minorities of Bangladesh,” CPC General Secretary, J.L. Das said.
The violence began on October 13 during the Durga puja celebrations in which radical Islamist groups attacked Durga Puja pandals and Temples in Cumilla district in the Chittagong division of Bangladesh.
At least three people were killed and many others injured on Wednesday as a mob and the police clashed in Chandpur’s Hajiganj Upazila following the incident in Cumilla.
“The reality of discrimination in the matter of Religious Rights and its denial is an everyday reality, which has led not only to untold misery but also persecution directed against Hindus minorities,” Das said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured that those responsible for the attack would be dealt with as per law. Several arrests were made and in some parts, the police opened fire to control the bigots.
“The Central Puja Committee, Meghalaya strongly condemn such ghastly and unprovoked attacks all over Bangladesh and appeal to the Bangladesh Government to immediately initiate concrete action against perpetrators of such heinous crime, targeting the Hindus,” Das said.
He said the meeting has decided that a memorandum would be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. The CPC also decided to seek the personal intervention of the Chief Minister into the incident.
Copies of the memorandum would also be issued to the ruling and the opposition Congress party through the respective state unit, he said,
“A copy of the memorandum would also be sent to the President of the leader of Shillong All Faith Forum (SAFF,) Das said adding, it would be requested from the SAFF to issue a press release on the incident.
Das further informed that a delegation of the CPC would be heading to New Delhi and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh through the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in India.
