Indian SC Petition Seeks Urgent Action Against Bangladesh's Minority Persecution

A Supreme Court petition in India calls for urgent government action against the violence faced by Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh. Filed by Rajesh Dhanda, it seeks diplomatic intervention and extension of the Citizenship Amendment Act's cut-off date for migrants escaping persecution.

A petition has been submitted to India's Supreme Court, urging immediate action by the Union Government to halt violence and atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. The appeal demands diplomatic intervention and an extension of the Citizenship Amendment Act's deadline to accommodate those fleeing persecution.

Initiated by Ludhiana-based businessman Rajesh Dhanda, who chairs the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee, the petition is set for consideration before the Chief Justice of India on February 24. Dhanda's plea highlights the necessity for immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent ongoing violence against Bangladesh's Hindu minorities.

Citing historical precedence, the petition argues for using international platforms like the International Court of Justice to address human rights violations. It criticizes the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs for failing to take visible international measures to protect Bangladeshi minorities.

The petition paints a grim picture of the minority situation in Bangladesh, where religiously motivated state attacks threaten a mass exodus. It calls for pressing the administration of Bangladesh to conform with international law and halt the violence. The plea is underscored by recent reports of mass killings and other criminal acts against minorities in Bangladesh following political upheaval.

Addressing the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the plea suggests extending the cut-off date for citizenship applications to December 31, 2014, arguing that current violence justifies revisiting this timeline. The Indian government, the petition insists, must intervene swiftly to aid these beleaguered communities.