Durga Puja ends early in Bangladesh

Durga Pujo — the biggest Hindu festival to be celebrated in Bangladesh came to an abrupt and violent end on Wednesday (October 13) when Islamists mobs ravaged the Hindu pandals and mandaps, desecrating the idols and creating chaos by instilling fear amongst the minority community. Reportedly, few Hindus have been presumed dead as well amidst the violence.  

According to an IANS report, it all started with a rumour when some BNP and Jamaat-e-Islam miscreants planted a copy of the Holy Quran at the feet of Ganesh in the Durga pantheon at Nanuyar Dighir Par Temple in Comilla district on Tuesday night. A district official was quoted as saying, “The miscreants took some pictures of this and ran away. Within a few hours, using Facebook, the propaganda spread like wildfire with the provocative pictures,” 

In one of the videos, it can be seen that a Maa Durga idol is thrown in the pond and the pandal vandalised.  

Attack on Hindu Bengalis continue in Bangladesh even during #DurgaPuja

Radicals attacked Puja Pandal in Nanuna Par area of Comilla. People have been attacked; Murtis have been vandalized

Yet many in India think that they would be immune to demography change. Time's ticking pic.twitter.com/jOuRhAJekj

— Sourish Mukherjee (@me_sourish_) October 13, 2021

Muslims have demolished 9 Durga mandapas and idols in Comilla, Bangladesh. Hundreds of radical Muslims attacked this morning. The attack is still going on. pic.twitter.com/vFMWxyS5BO

— Advocate Dr. Gobinda Chandra Pramanik (@gobinda21765953) October 13, 2021

At one stage, the situation spiralled so out of control that communal riots were stoked in adjacent areas. Even the local administration and police came under attack when trying to bring the situation under control. 

Cannot publish what happened in the last 24 hours: Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council

Bangladesh Hindu Unity Council, which works for the basic rights of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh took to Twitter to share the magnitude of violence and barbarity. 

“We cannot publish in a tweet what has happened in the last 24 hours. The Hindus of Bangladesh saw the real faces of some people. We don’t know what will happen in the future. But the Hindus of Bangladesh will never forget Durga Puja in 2021. 

#SaveBangladeshiHindus” the organisation tweeted.  

https://twitter.com/UnityCouncilBD/status/1448477757554450435

The council also remarked that it was a day that the Hindus would never forgive the Islamists for. “13 October 2021. A scandalous day in the history of Bangladesh.Many puja mandapas have been vandalized, Pratima Bisarjan in the Day of Austomi. Hindus are now guarding the puja mandapa.the whole world is silent today. May maa Durga bless all the Hindus of the world. Never Forgive.” 

https://twitter.com/UnityCouncilBD/status/1448306359728963584

Sharing a video of an attack on Hindus, Advocate Dr Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, Secretary-General of Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote Tweeted, “The situation is terrible!! Attacks on 150 families in Shilpara, Cox’s Bazar, widespread vandalism, looting, vandalism of Hatiya in Noakhali, vandalism of idols in municipal Kalimandir, attack Vandalism, molestation of women, 2 people have been found dead in Chandpur.” 

! The situation is terrible !!
Attacks on 150 families in Shilpara, Cox's Bazar, widespread vandalism, looting, vandalism of Hatiya in Noakhali, vandalism of idols in municipal Kalimandir, attack Vandalism, molestation of women, 2 people have been found dead in Chandpur. pic.twitter.com/B2x2jnk880

— Advocate Dr. Gobinda Chandra Pramanik (@gobinda21765953) October 13, 2021

Meanwhile, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured that the perpetrators behind the incident will not be spared, regardless of their political affiliation. 

Islamic nations and pogrom to vanish Hindus 

The treatment meted towards the Hindus is a classic example of an Islamic majority nation trampling upon the rights of a minority and in particular Hindus, the ultimate Kaafirs worshipping stone-idols. 

The left-liberals of India who sit at the altar of secularism and preach India for not protecting the minorities should take a good, hard look at the current development in Bangladesh. 

Despite being a Hindu majority nation, it is Hindu festivals that are incessantly targeted by the cabal without any repercussion here in India. Imagine trying to do the same in a country like Bangladesh. Mob justice prevails in Islamic nations and Hindus and other minorities have to remain in a perpetual state of fear to even celebrate their festivals.  

 Where is CAA? Where are its benefits?

Thus, it is necessary that the Modi administration not only implements CAA on the ground but also shows its tangible benefits. Merely passing it and jousting with the opposition on it makes no sense when the aggrieved parties and individuals are not helped during desperate times.   

The Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan need India now, more so than ever. There is a systematic pogrom in place to weed them out of existence. Their only hope is India and if the government sits quietly like it did when West Bengal and Hindus burnt in the post-poll violence orchestrated by the Mamata government, the public will not forgive the Modi administration.