ISKCON Bangladesh Distances Itself From Chinmoy Das, Says His Actions 'Not Representative Of ISKCON'

The general secretary of ISKCON Charu Chandra Das stated during a press conference on Thursday that ISKCON is not responsible for any statements or actions of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

ISKCON Bangladesh has denied any involvement in the activities of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Source : X

Days after Chinmoy Krishna Das was sent to jail in Bangladesh on charges of sedition, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has denied any involvement in the activities of the monk, saying his actions are "not representative of ISKCON".

The general secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, stated during a press conference on Thursday that ISKCON is not responsible for any statements or actions of Chinmoy Krishna Das, mentioning how the latter was removed from all positions within the organisation due to "violations of discipline", The Dhaka Tribune reported.

"Several months ago, Leelaraj Gour Das, head of Prabartak Sri Krishna Mandir, Gaurang Das, and Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of Sri Sri Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, were removed from their positions and all organizational activities within Iskcon due to violations of discipline. It was clearly stated that their actions are not representative of Iskcon," he said.

Charu Chandra Das further stated: "We have already addressed this issue through multiple press conferences and formal communications with government and administrative authorities. Regrettably, certain groups are intentionally spreading misinformation about our organization and are making unjustified demands to ban Iskcon."

He also denied ISKCON's involvement in the death of a Muslim lawyer, who died during violent protests at the Chittagong Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court premises after Das was denied bail. 

"There are ongoing attempts to wrongly associate Iskcon Bangladesh with the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif in Chittagong. We want to make it clear that Iskcon Bangladesh has no involvement in this tragic event or the ongoing protests. This false narrative has even escalated to the point where road accidents are being attributed to Iskcon," he stated.

The arrest of Chandan Kumar Dhar Prokash Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, has become a topic of discussion in both Bangladesh and India after his arrest in a sedition case.

He was detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday afternoon. Subsequently, he was presented before a Chittagong court on Tuesday, where his bail was rejected. Das was accused of disrespecting the national flag of Bangladesh during a rally.

This sparked protests in the court premises, leading to the death of the lawyer and leaving several others injured, as thousands of supporters surrounded the van in which the monk was being escorted to prison and blocked the way for over two hours.

The case against Das was filed by one Md Feroze Khan at Kotwali police station in Chittagong. He had accused Chinmoy Das and 18 others of hoisting a saffron flag above the Bangladesh national flag during a rally organised by the Hindu community on October 25 at Chittagong's New Market intersection.

This act is being alleged as "desecration" and "contempt for the country’s sovereignty," and has been labelled as a "treasonous activities aimed at destabilizing the nation by fostering an anarchic environment."

Following Chinmoy Das' arrest, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday had expressed deep concern and urged Bangladesh to ensure the safety of the Hindu minority community. However, India had denied to interfere in the "internal matter" of Bangladesh and said it would not be raising the issue of Das' arrest with the country.