Massive Demonstration by Sadhus at Petrapole Border Against Atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh

More than 1,000 sadhus and saints from West Bengal are participating in a demonstration at the Petrapole border in North 24 Parganas on Monday to protest against the attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh and demand the release of spiritual leader Chinmay Krishna Das arrested in the neighboring country. Sadhus and saints under the banner of All India Sant Samiti started arriving at the protest site, about 800 meters from the Petrapole border post, since morning.

Leaders of the BJP's West Bengal unit, led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Shubhendu Adhikari, have also announced a demonstration program at the Petrapole border on Wednesday on the Bangladesh issue. Members of 'Hindu Jagran Manch' and other religious groups are also likely to join this protest.

After reaching the Petrapole border, a monk said, "We will form a human chain and protest to give a message of peace to the Government of India and the Government of Bangladesh and demand an immediate stop to atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh."

Swami Parmatmananda, president of the Bengal branch of the All India Sant Samiti, had said on Sunday that the agitation at the Petrapole border will continue until the Bangladesh government takes action to stop attacks on Hindus and temples.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has been organizing prayer meetings and kirtans at its center on Albert Road in Kolkata for the past few days. The group is demanding the release of Das and has expressed concern over the plight of religious minorities in the neighboring country.

Hindu spiritual leader Das was arrested in Bangladesh on a sedition case. The court refused to grant him bail, after which people of the community started protesting in many places including the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong.