VHP holds protests over attacks on Hindus in B'desh

New Delhi: TheVishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday organised nationwide protests against alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, with demonstrations held at district headquarters across the country. In Delhi, protesters attempted to demonstrate near the Bangladesh High Commission in Chanakyapuri, prompting heavy security deployment. Delhi Police and paramilitary forces were stationed in large numbers, and demonstrators were stopped at a considerable distance from the diplomatic premises.

Security around the Bangladesh High Commission was significantly tightened ahead of the protest called by the VHP and Bajrang Dal. The area was secured with three layers of barricading and additional police and paramilitary personnel to prevent any untoward incident. A police official said security arrangements were strengthened in anticipation of the protest and to maintain law and order.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal announced the protest to condemn alleged attacks on Hindus and vandalism of religious sites in Bangladesh. Protesters were seen carrying banners and placards and raising slogans against what they described as atrocities against minorities in the neighbouring country.

Members of the All India Hindi Bengali Organisation, along with VHP and Bajrang Dal activists, also staged a protest near the Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus Metro Station in Delhi. The demonstration focused on alleged violence against minorities in Bangladesh and the killing of Dipu Chandra Das.

According to reports, Dipu Chandra Das, a garment factory worker in Bhaluka, Bangladesh, was allegedly lynched by a mob last week and later set on fire. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, triggering outrage against the interim government in Bangladesh and raising questions about its handling of the situation.

Several Hindu organisations joined the protest near the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi to express anger over the incidents. VHP state president Kapil Khanna said the organisation strongly condemns the alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, describing them as crimes against humanity rather than an internal matter. He called on the international community and human rights organisations to break their silence and urged the Indian government to exert diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh to ensure the safety of minorities.

VHP state minister Surendra Gupta also criticised what he described as violence against Hindus and administrative inaction in Bangladesh. He said such silence amounted to tacit support for perpetrators and demanded immediate and strict action by the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure asafe environment for minorities. He appealed to the Hindu community to unite and raise its voice against the alleged injustice.

The Delhi Police detained protesting members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and other Hindu organisations near the Bangladesh High Commission in the national capital on Tuesday.