Bhubaneswar: Following protests in various district headquarters across Odisha against the brutal Islamic attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, a significant demonstration took place today in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, in observance of International Human Rights Day. Organised under the banner of the Hindu Surakshya Manch, the protest saw participation from Sadhus of different sects, office-bearers, and activists from various Hindu organisations, all calling for urgent measures to address the ongoing atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The rally, held at the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, focused on the violation of human rights in Bangladesh, where Hindus are facing brutal attacks from Islamist groups. Speakers condemned the silence of international human rights organisations and intellectuals regarding this alarming situation.
They highlighted the systematic oppression of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh, where Hindus are being murdered, women are being sexually assaulted, Hindu temples are being set ablaze, and monasteries and ashrams are being destroyed. Sadhus and monks are being imprisoned, with charges of sedition and murder being falsely levelled against them. The Bangladeshi administration, in collusion with extremist groups like Jamaat, is perpetrating these brutal acts. Moreover, the police and military in Bangladesh are complicit in these attacks, with the Bangladeshi government itself perpetuating this cycle of oppression.
The speakers reminded the crowd that India had liberated Bangladesh from Pakistani oppression in the past; however, today, the same Bangladesh is subjecting its minority Hindus to severe persecution. They warned that the actions of Islamists and the Bangladeshi government have endangered the very existence of Hindus in the country.
Emphasising the need for global Hindu unity in the face of these atrocities, the speakers called for the identification and immediate deportation of illegal Bangladeshi Infiltrators residing in India. They urged the Indian government to take all possible measures to protect persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh and insisted on the urgent need to repatriate illegal Bangladeshi Infiltrators in India.
Leaders from various organisations, including Gayatri Parivar, ISKCON, Anukool Chandra Satsang, Ramakrishna Mission, Arya Samaj, Sathya Sai Trust, Divine Life Society, Patanjali Yoga Institutions, Pragya Mission, and Bharat Yoga Sansthan, joined forces in a protest demanding the protection of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Following the rally, thousands of participants, including leaders from diverse religious communities, monks, and members of Hindu organisations, took part in a grand procession that concluded at Master Canteen Square. Under the guidance of prominent figures such as Swami Shankaranand Giri Maharaj, Swami Shraddhanand Saraswati, Mahant Ramkrishna Dash, Brahmachari Vishwachetanya, Baba Ramesh Chandra Das, Swami Nirbhayanand Giri, Mahant Telokyashwar Bharati, Mahant Vaishnavpuri, Mahant Lingrajpuri, Swami Brahmanand Saraswati, and Swami Jeevan Chaitanya Maharaj, a delegation of sadhus from Odisha approached the Raj Bhavan. There, they submitted a memorandum to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations through the Honourable Governor, urging immediate action for the protection of Hindus in Bangladesh and to address the concerns raised by the ongoing persecution.
