ISKCON’s Radharaman, Mahant Raju Das express concern over delayed bail hearing of monk in Dhaka
New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) As the bail hearing of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Hindu priest arrested in Bangladesh, has been postponed until next month, Hindu leaders in India, including ISKCON Kolkata’s vice-president, Radharaman Das, and Mahant Raju Das, the priest of Ayodhya’s Hanumangarhi temple expressed concern over it on Tuesday.
The delay follows troubling reports that the lawyer defending the Hindu monk had been ‘brutally attacked’ by Islamic fundamentalists and was reportedly in the Intensive Care Unit.
Speaking to IANS, Radharaman Das expressed deep concern over the delay and the circumstances surrounding the case.
“It is very sad to see a monk languishing in jail for the last 9-10 days, and today we had hoped for his bail, but that seems further away than ever,” he said.
“We’ve also heard through media that their lawyer couldn’t even appear in court. There have been false cases filed against lawyers in previous hearings, with their homes being vandalised. Who will come forward to stand for Chinmoy Krishna Das now? This whole situation is deeply troubling. It’s unclear when he will receive justice, and the thought of him spending another month in jail is worrying. It’s deeply concerning to keep a seer alongside criminals in such an unjust scenario.”
Mahant Raju Das of Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya also condemned the situation, highlighting the growing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
“It is well-known that Hindus in Bangladesh are facing extreme violence – killings, rapes, and temple demolitions are rampant. Saints and sages are being arrested on false charges. The situation has become so dire that Islamic jihadists and terrorists are committing inhumane atrocities daily. The army and police are complicit, harassing Hindus and implicating them in false cases,” he said.
“There is no one to protect or deliver justice to the Hindu community in Bangladesh,” he said.
On Tuesday, lawyers refused to appear for Chinmoy Krishna Das during the bail hearing, following which the Chattogram court adjourned the proceedings. The court fixed the next date of hearing for January 2, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote has alleged that approximately 70 Hindu lawyers were “falsely sued in a case to prevent their participation” in a bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.
In more than 2,000 documented acts of violence against Hindus and other minorities like Christians and Buddhists in Bangladesh, at least nine minority members have been killed so far.
–IANS
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