A day ahead of joining her brother Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday raised serious concerns over the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in Bangladesh. She called the incident "extremely worrying" and urged the BJP-led central government to intervene in the matter. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she wrote, "The arrest of the ISKCON temple priest in Bangladesh and the ongoing violence against minority Hindus is deeply troubling." She further called on the government to seriously raise the issue of minority protection in Bangladesh.


Earlier, top government sources told ABP Live that India believes this is “an internal matter” of Bangladesh, and, therefore, will not be taking any "immediate action" on the issue.


"I appeal to the central government to intervene in this matter and strongly raise the issue of ensuring the safety of minorities before the Bangladesh government," Gandhi Vadra, who is slated to take oath as the Wayanad MP on Thursday, said.


Chinmoy Das was arrested on Monday and presented in a court in Chittagong on Tuesday, where he was sent to police custody. He has been charged with sedition for allegedly hoisting a flag on a stand that bears the national flag of Bangladesh. The arrest of the ISKCON priest and the continuing violence against minority Hindus in Bangladesh have raised significant concerns.


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India Reacts To Arrest


The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), the country's largest minority organisation, has also expressed concern over the arrest. The Council's Acting General Secretary, Manindra Kumar Nath, condemned the arrest, saying, "We strongly condemn the arrest of Prabhu Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, who was detained from the Dhaka airport area on Monday afternoon."


India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the arrest. In a statement, it expressed concern over the "large-scale criminal activities" behind such events, stating, "It is unfortunate...No charge should be brought against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful assemblies. We are also concerned about attacks on peacefully protesting minorities following Das's arrest."


On November 27, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, spoke with the Bangladesh High Commissioner regarding the incident.


 


Union Minister Giriraj Singh Slams Bangladesh Government


Union Minister Giriraj Singh also condemned the arrest, accusing the Bangladesh government of succumbing to pressure from extremists. Singh said, "The Bangladesh government is working under pressure from extremists who are vandalising temples. I thank the Indian government for taking this matter seriously. The United Nations should also take note of the situation."