Shiban Khaibri

It is really a matter of great concern that innocent Hindu citizens in Bangladesh should be attacked, their properties looted and burnt , their religious places vandalised and desecrated, even women forcibly picked from homes and subjected to rapes and other brutalities.

The question is – but why? Who is going to ask their tormentors the fundamental question that if majority of people had problems, genuinely or otherwise, with PM Sheikh Hasina , and who having been unseated and chased out of the country , what for and why Hindus living there for centuries together, being their birthplace, should be attacked and brutalised?

Who is going to make each of the oppressors accountable to pay dearly for such inhuman acts and indulging in mediaeval barbarism against the innocent Hindus? Who will ask very resolutely all those attackers why only Hindus among various minority sections in Bangladesh are being selectively and systematically targeted ?

Who will take stock of the heart wrenching decimation of this once Hindu land since Bangladeshi Hindus have shrunk from 27% in 1951 to just 6.96% in 2023 ? Who owns shame and utter disgrace over such a fate of the minority Hindus?

The available data on the number of attacks on this hapless community over the last five decades on annual comparison puts humanity and the principle of ”Live and let live” as also peaceful co-existence to absolute shreds.

It is not that Hindus are being mercilessly targeted there in Bangladesh in as many as 27 districts and hence coerced, subjugated and their survival and existence threatened, it is in fact the state of Bangladesh, a known South Asian country, that is failed, defeated, exposed and declassed internationally irrespective of the allegations that the US was the force behind the coup-d’état coupled with active support of other religious extremist elements.

Sorry, it could not remain even slightly different from Afghanistan and Pakistan and that is the tragedy of Bangladesh, otherwise till recently, a fast developing economy and growing at over 6% per annum as against less than 4% in respect of Pakistan but now, it shall have to lick the wounds for decades for what has taken over that country.

It will meet the economic Waterloo and get pushed back by decades plunging into severe economic crisis. Who wanted it and why , those hoodlums on streets with blood soaked hands need to ponder over it.

Not vouching for the governance of Sheikh Hasina, the fact that Bangladesh made enviable economic progress under her rule, was not any achievement for the extremist and radical elements who ostensibly took strong exception to her government’s policy of close economic cooperation and excellent diplomatic ties with India and back home, she did not encourage fundamentalist and extremist elements for which she had to pay the price.

We, on the other hand, heard voices with ulterior designs trying to brushing aside the Hindu pogrom in Bangladesh and covering it under “a regime change” or Hindus traditionally having been followers of the Awami League hence subjected to organised attacks “like many other non-Hindu followers” of the Awami League —is a mischievously peddled lie and nothing but encouraging the radical and fanatic unbridled elements taking over Bangladesh.

Khalida Zia must withdraw her words with apology that Hindus in Bangladesh were “safe”. We have watched how these riotous hoodlums crashed into the residence of the deposed Prime Minister and not only looted and ransacked the entire building, even brazenly pouncing on and munching cooked food items from the kitchen but exhibiting the looted booty, among other things, personal items of Sheikh Hasina like sarees, blouses and even undergarments. Such a degradation and abjection of human dignity involving an elderly woman, exposes the mindset of the rioters which has been at work all these days in attacking Hindus.

It is a travesty that in support of suffering Hindus in Bangladesh, none of the countries has raised its voice . Their silence is deafening. Why such a one sided or a partisan attitude if not a criminal discrimination? Is death also being differentiated and classified as per political calculations including in this country? Why no peaceful but massive protests took place in India similarly for distressed and persecuted Bangladeshi Hindus?

Why Indian Parliament overwhelmingly did not pass a resolution over the suffering and persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh expressing grave concern ? Instead, surprisingly , walkout by entire opposition was engineered in Rajya Sabha over absolutely a non-issue just to obfuscate and pre-empt any move to condemn radical and zealot riotous elements in Bangladesh lest that would earn the displeasure of the Vote Bank to these leaders.

“Mohabat key Dukaan” has yet again proved absolutely a ruse, deceptive and elusive . Those who opposed the CAA and spread mischievous canards that the amended Act would snatch citizenship rights of Muslims and Shaheen Bagh like defiance and brazen disobedience of an Act of Parliament as provided for under the constitution, was openly dared ,

Why compulsive self styled secular leaders kept distance from even tweeting a word of meticulously, selecting appropriate words and narration, were used by vote bank oriented secular leaders in belated tweets by writing not Hindus pin pointedly but “all minorities, faiths and groups” or “all minorities” should be protected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while conveying good wishes to Mohamad Yunus , Chief of Interim Government in Bangladesh highlighted the need to ensuring safety of “Hindus and other minorities” in the country was severely criticised as to why he used the word “Hindus” which astonishingly depicts to what extent, the anti Hindu mindset is working in various forms in this partitioned country.

Congress leadership also sent congratulatory message to Mohamad Younus, Interim Government Head , but reportedly knowingly, no mention of protecting Hindus was made. This was highlighted by a former Union Minister Anurag Thakur in the Parliament . Needless to add, this needs to be noted by the people who need to vote accordingly at the time of voting for their leaders and parties –as simple as anything.

Highlighting Hindenburg Research (read trash) reports, raising concern with political overtures over Phogat’s unfortunate disqualification and vying with one another over who spoke in strongest words against much required amendment to The Waqf Board Property Act and to showering all allegations on the government , consumed more attention and interest of the INDI alliance leaders but not over systematic violent attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus.

That augurs well neither for such leadership nor for the country on the whole . Congress continues to take sole and monopolistic “credit” for freedom struggle , virtually being hackneyed , as also for creation of Bangladesh slicing it from Pakistan for which Bangla people , particularly Hindus in hundreds of thousands, were massacred not to speak of brutal violation of young women in Bangladesh.

It is fairly known that Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, the Bangabhandu who is accredited with making Bangladesh and known as its founding father , was assassinated along with 35 of his family members . If Sheikh Hasina was not a good ruler as PM , what rationale is behind and what conspiracy is at work to break the statue of Mujibur Rehman in pieces and desecrate its hammered parts?

Obviously, there is something more to be seen into the students agitation which is just a cover or a camouflage of Pakistan’s sway more explicit in Bangladeshi affairs if not the complete reversal of 1971 historical event of breaking of Pakistan, of course, with the blessings of the US. It is to be observed though with great concern whether Bangladesh could revert to pre 1971 position, now.

It is ,again, more shocking but never expected to this extent, which the three Congress leaders , Salman Khursheed, Mani Shankor Ayer and Sajjan Verma have ”predicted” that after Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, it could happen in India too . Sajjan went a step further by saying that “Public will storm Modi’s residence and take it over…. ” ….”PM Modi will have Sheikh Hasina’s fate …” and his leader goes around the countries complaining that democracy was under threat , free speech and dissent are curbed and ”voice of the opposition is stifled ” and asked for American and European intervention.

By now, by that standard, at least if not Salman and Ayer , but Sajjan Verma should have been brought to justice under normal course. India can never ever witness what happens in Bangladesh and nobody needs to nurse any illusions about that irrespective of any type of intermittent sit in dharnas or blocking roads and disrupting rail lines .

It is stunning that our revered Shankracharis , Dharam Gurus , and other top clergy have maintained absolute silence over distressed Bangladeshi followers of the same religion they represent at highest temporal seats . They should have assuaged and assured the suffering Hindus, men women and children, of their support and raised the issue with the Central Government, the UNO and other agencies. They are protectors , promoters and missionaries of Sanatan Dharam .

If Rohingya Muslims are managed to be sent direct from Myanmar to this country and they are welcome with providing all facilities including managing for them sensitive papers and documents in many cases , why should borders be closed for persecuted Hindus of Bangladesh? Bangladeshi illegal immigrants are already provided care, protection, help and rehabilitation in many states across India and that is all fine but just to talk about Bangla Hindus is an anathema to some people .

The precarious situation in which Bangladeshi Hindus are finding themselves in, must be looked at from the angle of violation of basic Human Rights and humanity. US ,the habitual troublemaker world over, did never arrange from the UN any report of a hullaballoo nature in respect of over 5 lakh Kashmiri Hindus’ persecution and exodus from their Kashmir in 1989-90, it is to be seen how Human Rights Violation Report is “managed” to be issued from the UN in respect of Bangladeshi Hindus.