Intro: Hindu minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Yazidis of Iraq seek urgent world attention to their plight.
The World Hindu Congress proved to be a good opportunity for the Hindus facing inhuman atrocities in different counties like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. Even the minority Yazadis who are being persecuted by ISIS jihadis in Iraq joined the conference to seek world attention to their plight.
“Yazidis are in severe danger in Iraq. The ISIS jihadis are bent upon wiping out us. More than 700 Yazadi girls and women have been kidnapped and sold by them. They make repeated bids to enter our areas. We want the world community to take urgent steps to save us,” a delegation of Yazidis told Organiser. It is to be noted that Yazadis are minority in Iraq and their customs and traditions match with the Hindus in many ways. They are less than two million all over the world. In Iraq they were seven lakh till some time back, but now they remain hardly six lakh as one lakh have migrated to other parts or have been killed by the jehadis.
Delegates from Bangladesh came with high hopes. “Hindus in Bangladesh are passing through the most crucial time. We are persecuted at every step. Women are the most vulnerable. Our land, temples, property and business all are in the hit list of the jihadis. Our properties are treated as enemy properties,” said Pankaj Haldekar who came from Dhaka. “We live in utter fear round the clock. Any time the Muslim mob comes and attacks us. They want to snatch everything from us. They do not treat us as even human beings,” said Sumon Roy, also from Dhaka. He said the Buddhists and Christians are also minority but the Hindus are the worst hit. “The reason is that the Buddhists world over are united. That is why the government also fears from them. Recently, the government rebuilt a Buddhist temple in Kach Bazar, which was demolished by Muslims some time back. But in the case of Hindu temples, it is never done,” said Debobrata Nath Jewel. Mahaman-daleshwar Priyabrat Brahmachari Mahatirth from Dhaka said the Government of India should talk to its Bangladesh counterpart forthwith to save Hindus there. “I have given 36 points to India’s Foreign Minister for bilateral talks between India and Bangladesh on the issues of Hindus there,” he said.
The delegates from Sri Lanka also sought immediate attention of the world Hindus to save them. Hindus are eight per cent in Sri Lanka, while the Buddhists are 72 per cent. Many Hindus are still in refugee camps in Wanton area and the Sri Lankan Government takes no step to put them back to their original places. “Human rights protection of Hindus is a big issue in Sri Lanka. Women are being persecuted. The widows, who are in large number, don’t have any means of earning. They are in miserable condition. They need immediate help,” said Tholainatha. The plight of Hindus in Malaysia is also no different. Ragu Vedy Kaundan who came from Kuala Lumpur, said 50 lakh Hindus there are passing through a cruel phase, no
matter they live there for more than 100 years. “The country’s unfair
conversion and marriage laws have proved to highly cruel to the Hindus. If somebody from husband or wife adopts Islam, he/she can get divorce overnight.
Even an infant is taken away from the mother in case of conversion. Since we are fighting against such injustice, we are tortured every day. Even the judiciary discriminates. We want the Government of Malaysia should be pressurised to protect our human rights. We don’t want any special law. We only want to live with dignity,” he said.
