Congress' Milind Deora wants CAA amended to protect Bangladeshi Hindus amid recent attacks

Congress leader Milind Deora backed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 on Monday saying the law must be amended to protect and rehabilitate Hindus, who were fleeing religious persecution from Bangladesh in the wake of the recent attacks. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader called Bangladesh’s escalating communal violence 'extremely worrying'. While seeking an amendment in CAA, the leader stated that India must also reject any communal attempt to equate Indian Muslims with 'Bangladeshi Islamists'.

The CAA, 2019 amends the previous Citizenship Act, 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for Indian citizenship. While the law protects Bangladeshi Hindus fleeing religious persecution, it is only applicable to those who have arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Deora's tweet seeks the inclusion of all Bangladeshi Hindus who were leaving the nation presently amidst the rampant attacks against their religion.

Attacks on Durga pandals, ISKCON in Bangladesh

At first, at least three people were killed while 60 others were injured in multiple cases of communal violence during the Durga Puja festivities in Bangladesh's Chandpur Hajiganj Upazila. The Bangladesh Police booked over 4,000 named and unnamed people in connection with the communal violence that led to the death of six people, including two Hindus.

In another follow-up to the violence, a member of the ISKON temple in Bangladesh's Noakhali area was killed in a mob attack at the ISKCON temple in Noakhali. The sculpture of ISCKON founder AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was also burnt down by the goons during the brutal attack. Following violent mob attacks on Hindu religious temples, ISKCON officials wrote a letter to the Sheikh Hasina-led administration demanding 'swift action'. The temple authorities in Bangladesh also reached out to the United Nations. Vice-President Radharamn Das has requested UN Chief Antonio Guterres to issue a condemnation and send a UN delegation to Bangladesh to inspect the situation. Nearly 7000 devotees from 82 countries led by ISKCON Co-Director Vraja Vilas Das assembled at the ISKCON Mayapur campus, West Bengal on Monday to condemn the violence witnessed against Hindu temples

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday claimed that the attacks on Durga Puja pandals were 'pre-planned' and aimed at destroying communal harmony in the country. He further assured that the reason behind such acts will be made public soon and those involved in it will be given exemplary punishment.