Uprising in Bangladesh: ISKCON Under Fire Amid Protests and Sedition Charges

Tensions rise in Bangladesh as spiritual preacher Chinmoy Krishna faces sedition charges, sparking protests against ISKCON. The controversy escalates with a lawyer's death during clashes and growing demands for minority protection. India urges a fair judicial process for implicated minority leaders.

Spiritual preacher Chinmoy Krishna remains incarcerated in Bangladesh on sedition charges as protests erupt nationwide against him and ISKCON. On Friday, protestors aligned with Hefazat-e-Islam convened outside Dhaka's Bitul Mukarram Mosque, demanding a ban on ISKCON. Demonstrators waved flags and chanted slogans under the watchful eye of a substantial police presence.

The unrest intensified following the death of a lawyer during conflicts between police officers and purported adherents of Chinmoy Krishna Das in the Chattogram Court Building area on November 27. Das faces sedition charges for allegedly hoisting a saffron flag above Bangladesh's national emblem in Chittagong on October 25.

While ISKCON's Bangladesh division denies any connection to the lawyer's death, protests persist. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized India's ongoing concern over the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh, calling for protective measures and fair judicial proceedings in cases involving minority leaders like Das.

(With inputs from agencies.)