The petition has been filed by Rajesh Dhanda, a businessman and philanthropist from Ludhiana. He is the Chairman of the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee, Ludhiana, and also serves as the Vice Chairman of the ISKCON Steering Board.
New Delhi [India], February 22: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India asking the Union Government to take urgent steps to stop violence and attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
The plea also requests an extension of the cut-off date under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019. The petitioner argues that many Hindus have entered India recently due to ongoing violence and should be considered for Indian citizenship.
The petition has been filed by Rajesh Dhanda, a businessman and philanthropist from Ludhiana. He is the Chairman of the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee, Ludhiana, and also serves as the Vice Chairman of the ISKCON Steering Board.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the matter for hearing before the Bench of the Chief Justice of India on February 24.
The plea requests the Indian government to take “immediate diplomatic or other steps recognised in international laws” to stop “the atrocities, persecution and other offences being committed upon Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh in the interest of justice.”
It also urges the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to direct the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh to “offer aid and assist the affected Hindu minorities facing religious and state-sponsored persecution.”
The plea mentions that several countries have approached international forums like the International Court of Justice and the United Nations to address human rights violations in foreign nations. However, it claims that the Indian government has failed to take such visible international actions to protect religious minorities in Bangladesh.
It states, “there are conditions of the minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and other religious minorities) in Bangladesh that are on the brink of exodus due to rampant state-sponsored religious attacks.”
The petition stresses the “immediate necessity to create political pressure and take measures in accordance with international laws on the current administration of Bangladesh to stop ongoing atrocities on Hindus residing there.”
The plea highlights that the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh has led to increased violence against religious minorities.
It states, “The recent uprising of the religious groups after the downfall of democratically elected (government) in Bangladesh has resulted in mass killings, abductions, forced snatching of properties and other criminal acts against minorities in Bangladesh.”
Under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, only those who entered India before December 31, 2014, are eligible for citizenship benefits. However, the plea argues that given the “recent mass killings and persecutions being done on Hindus in Bangladesh,” the cut-off date should be extended.
The plea adds,
“The Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh or Pakistan deserve immediate intervention and help from the Union of Government.”
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