No plan to ban Iskcon: CA’s press secretary

The interim government has no plan to impose a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said yesterday (4 December).

"We have said it repeatedly, there are no plans to ban Iskcon," Shafiqul told the Indian news agency ANI, reiterating the government's position.

His remarks came in the wake of recent unrest in Bangladesh after the arrest of former Iskcon leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari on 25 November.

Chinmoy, who is a spiritual leader of the Hindu community and the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, is facing sedition charges in a case filed on 25 October over the alleged desecration of the national flag of Bangladesh during a rally in Chattogram city.

Shafiqul also hinted that Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus would soon call for national unity, aiming to counter misinformation and the vested interests that threaten the nation's stability, reports Times of India. 

"I think we are at a crucial stage. The chief adviser will call on all political parties for national unity against misinformation and against those trying to destabilise the country," he said.

The press secretary also accused former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently living in India after fleeing the country on 5 August, of overseeing widespread human rights abuses during her tenure, describing her as a "mass murderer."

"She has overseen one of the most brutal dictatorships. Under her watch, thousands were killed, thousands disappeared, and millions faced fake charges," Shafiqul alleged.

Earlier on 2 December, the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala was attacked when thousands of people took out a massive rally in the Tripura capital to protest the arrest of former Iskcon leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, demand his immediate release, and the stoppage of alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Amid the prevailing tension after the attack on Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus held a meeting with major political parties yesterday (4 December).

At the meeting, the chief adviser sought political leaders' opinions on three issues – the ongoing "propaganda" against Bangladesh in India and other parts of the world, the attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala, and the allegations of minority attacks in recent days. 

Alluding to the campaign against Bangladesh abroad, the chief adviser said the entire world needs to be informed that Bangladesh remains united and whatever it achieved recently was gained through joint efforts.

At the meeting, the political parties proposed holding a national rally to counter India's propaganda against Bangladesh