Effigies Burned in Protest: Congress Slams Modi Government’s Silence on Bangladesh Crisis

The Cachar District Congress Committee held a protest rally on Monday in Silchar to raise concerns over the alleged increase in intolerance towards religious minorities in Bangladesh. District Congress President Abhijit Paul, addressing the media, criticised both the Bangladeshi interim government led by Md. Yunus and the Indian government for their silence on the issue.

Paul claimed that incidents targeting minorities in Bangladesh have risen since the Yunus-led interim government took charge. He questioned why Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, have remained quiet on the matter. “Our Prime Minister, who is frequently seen involving himself in international affairs, has not spoken up about the suffering of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. This silence is unacceptable,” Paul stated.

The rally, organised by the District Congress Committee, featured participants chanting slogans like “Bangladesh Government Hai Hai” and “Yunus Government Murdabad,” criticising the treatment of minorities. Protesters also voiced their dissatisfaction with PM Modi and Dr Jaishankar for their inaction.

The protest reached its climax near the Khudiram Bose statue at Court Road, where demonstrators burned effigies of the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to symbolise their discontent with the government’s failure to address the issue.

Recently, the arrest of former ISKCON member Swami Chinmay Krishna Das and the Bangladeshi government’s attempt to ban ISKCON were widely seen as an attack on the Hindu faith. This move sparked outrage across Bangladesh and India, with many viewing it as a direct assault on religious freedom.

However, the Bangladeshi High Court denied the government’s plea to ban the institution, offering relief to its supporters. Despite this decision, the incident has fuelled widespread protests and criticism, further highlighting concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in Bangladesh.