Agartala: The Sanatani Hindus across Tripura as well as political parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura Pradesh has strongly condemned the arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. The monk, a prominent figure in ISKCON Bangladesh, was reportedly detained at Dhaka’s airport on Monday under allegations of treason, without a warrant.
According to Tripura Pradesh BJP, Swami Chinmoy Krishna Das has been instrumental in promoting Sanatan culture and humanity through ISKCON, a non-political and peaceful religious organization. Despite its reputation for fostering communal harmony, religious tolerance and humanitarian work, ISKCON and its members are increasingly being targeted in what many see as a campaign of harassment and false accusations.
In response, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha wrote on his social media handle that, “Sanatan Dharma is the carrier of justice and values. History is witness that whoever has tried to attack Sanatan Dharma has become extinct.”
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Tripura’s former Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb wrote, “The ongoing attacks on Sanatani minorities, various religious institutions & Sanatani Gurus in Bangladesh are entirely undemocratic and an affront to basic human rights principles.”
“I strongly condemn such incidents, completely based on narrow and vested interests, where sanatani sentiments and human rights are violated. I urge an urgent and joint international action to stem this undemocratic and anti-humanitarian situation.” he added.
As well as Tripura’s ARDD Minister Sudhanshu Das wrote, “In the Sanatan Hindu Dharma, sadhus, sannyasis, gurus, and Vaishnavas are revered and worshipped. Therefore, tolerating the insult of these revered sadhus and sannyasis is a sign of weakness and cowardice.”
“Oh Sanatan Hindu, proudly say that all Hindus in the world are your family. With dignity, say that you possess divine qualities. Your strength, courage, patience, and bravery are needed in the current crisis, Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari Ji must be released immediately,” He appealed.
Tripura Pradesh BJP emphasised that the detention of the monk under fabricated charges is an attempt to malign ISKCON which has over 77 temples and more than 50,000 followers across Bangladesh. They noted that the organization has been at the forefront of humanitarian efforts during natural disasters, serving society selflessly and without discrimination.
The arrest comes amid a spate of violence against Hindus and attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh, which began in August this year. BJP Tripura alleged that the Bangladesh government has failed to protect its minority population, leaving Hindus and other communities vulnerable to systemic violence and persecution.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also criticized the violent response to peaceful protests demanding Swami Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu’s release. “Innocent Hindus have been attacked and assaulted during these demonstrations. The government of Bangladesh must take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of all minorities,” the BJP statement said.
BJP Tripura has called on the Bangladesh government to release the monk immediately and withdraw the “baseless” charges against him. They further urged Dhaka to safeguard the rights and dignity of its minority populations, ensuring they can live without fear in their homeland.
Meanwhile, the party also appealed to the Indian government to intervene and take up the matter diplomatically to ensure justice for the detained monk and safety for Hindus in Bangladesh.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism as many human rights organizations expressing concern over the deteriorating situation for minorities in Bangladesh. Millions have reportedly been affected by ongoing violence and activists have urged the government to prioritize communal harmony and security for all its citizens.
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On the other hand, Hindutva activists and social workers took to the streets of Agartala on Tuesday evening, holding a candlelight protest to demand the release of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. The protesters gathered in front of the historic Ujjayanta Palace here in Agartala to voice their outrage against the priest’s arrest in Bangladesh. The protesters demanded his immediate and unconditional release by the Bangladesh authorities.
Similarly, on Wednesday the Sanatani Hindu Sena, Tripura Pradesh unit, took to the streets, demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das. The protest march began at Agartala’s Radhanagar and traversed various paths throughout the city as well as they raised slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” and “Har Har Mahadev” as they marched towards the Bangladesh Visa Office here in Agartala, where they staged a protest against the Bangladesh Government.
While speaking with the media persons a protester said, “The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das is utterly condemnable. This is unacceptable in any way. Hindus in Bangladesh are constantly being persecuted. The current Bangladesh government is responsible for the ongoing situation in the country.”
The protesters emphasized that the Bangladesh government must take immediate action to release Chinmoy Krishna Das and ensure the safety and well-being of Hindus in the country.
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Similarly, on Wednesday, Sanatani Hindus organized a protest at the Manu Land Customs Station in Kailashahar premises along the Indo-Bangladesh international border. The demonstrators voiced strong opposition to the arrest of ISKCON leader Swami Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh and condemned the ongoing attacks on Sanatani Hindus in the neighbouring country. The protest led to the suspension of import-export trade at the border, causing significant disruption to local businesses.
In the protest, Kailashahar Municipal Council Vice Chairman Nitish De, BJP Kailashahar Mandal President Siddhartha De, a senior advocate Sandip Debroy, Tripura State President of the Hindu Jagaran Manch Uttam Dey, and social activists Bidhan Das, Dulal Das, Milan Das and other local residents participated.
Speaking to the media during the protest, Vice Chairman Nitish Dey said, “The arrest of Swami Chinmoy Krishna Das is completely unjustified. The Bangladesh government is harassing him without cause. We demand his immediate and unconditional release. Until this happens, our protests will continue.”
During the protest, Municipality Vice Chairman Nitish De with the support of local residents set up a temporary gate at the Kailashahar border, symbolizing the community’s protest. “Until the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh stop, we demand that all import and export activities through this border be halted,” De said.
He further added, “I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take strict action against these injustices. The government of India must suspend all imports and exports to Bangladesh until attacks on Hindus are stopped. This is not just a matter of religion but of humanity and justice.”
The protest drew attention to the worsening situation for Hindus in Bangladesh, with demonstrators citing increasing reports of religious intolerance and violence.
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In response to the protest, local authorities deployed a heavy security presence with Kailashahar Sub-divisional Police Officer Jayanta Karmakar overseeing the situation. A large number of police officers along with personnel from Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and Border Security Force (BSF), were stationed at the site to prevent any untoward incidents.
On the other hand, the ongoing protest has severely affected cross-border trade which has been suspended for the day. Local traders who rely on imports and exports via the Kailashahar border have expressed concerns over the financial implications of the shutdown. “If this situation continues, we will face significant losses,” said one local businessman.
“We are hoping that the authorities can resolve the issue quickly so that trade can resume,” emphasised the businessman.
Meanwhile, traders held meetings with senior administrative officials on Wednesday afternoon, seeking a resolution to the impasse. While the administration is working to restore normalcy, it remains unclear when trade activities will resume.
As of now, the protest is ongoing as demonstrators vowing to continue their actions until their demands are met. The situation remains tense with both local authorities and protesters bracing for further developments.
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