ISKCON Clarifies Stance on Arrest of Hindu Priest in Bangladesh: ‘We Support His Rights

ISKCON Clarifies Stance on Arrest: ISKCON stated on Friday after reports emerged that it had disassociated itself from priest Chinmoy Krishna Das who was arrested in Bangladesh on sedition charges.

"Iskcon has not and does not distance itself from supporting Chinmoy Krishna Das's rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship. We also support, along with all other sanatani groups, protection and safety of Hindus, and re-establishing an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence with minorities in Bangladesh," the organisation said in a statement.

"Many of our press statements and interviews have made this fully clear. We have only clarified, something that was already said by us in the past many months, regarding him not officially representing ISKCON in Bangladesh," he added

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ISKCON Bangladesh said it stands by Das and maintains its position of defending his right to peacefully advocate for the protection of Hindus and their religious places.

Earlier ISKCON had said Das’s actions do not represent the organisation.

The situation in Bangladesh has become volatile after Das Brahmachari’s arrest and there are protests all over and attacks on ISKCON temples and Hindu religious places.

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Things took a turn for the worse after assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam died during the clashes between security forces and protesters after Das was denied bail. A petition was filed to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh.

Although the high court rejected the immediate ban, it asked the government to maintain law and order. Additional attorney general Aneek R Haque and deputy attorney general Md Asad Uddin filed three cases regarding Saiful Islam Alif’s death and Iskcon’s activities and 33 people were arrested.

Das was arrested for placing a saffron flag above the national flag during an October rally, violating the Bangladesh Flag Rules, 1972 which prohibits flying any flag above the national flag.

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