Veena Sikri Criticizes Denial of Bail to Former ISKCON Leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh
Veena Sikri Criticizes Denial of Bail to Former ISKCON Leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh
In New Delhi, former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri, expressed her disappointment over the denial of bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON leader, by a Chattogram court. Sikri described the situation as a "travesty of justice," highlighting the lack of evidence for the sedition charges against Chinmoy.
Sikri stated, "It's very sad. It's tragic. It's a travesty of justice that Chinmoy Krishna Das had been once again denied bail." She pointed out that the charges were based on an alleged rally on October 25, but no evidence was provided. Chinmoy was arrested at Dhaka Airport and taken to Chattogram, where his bail was initially denied, leading to clashes in court resulting in a lawyer's death.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, according to Sikri, did not address Chinmoy's case but only expressed concern over the lawyer's death. Sikri criticized the legal proceedings, noting the absence of proper representation for Chinmoy during earlier hearings and questioning the fairness of the judicial system in Bangladesh.
Foreign Affairs expert Robinder Sachdeva also criticized the bail rejection, suggesting that the judiciary might be influenced by the government or biased against Hindu minorities. He argued that the charges against Chinmoy are not severe and that he deserves bail.
The unrest in Bangladesh began with sedition charges against Chinmoy for allegedly raising a saffron flag above the national flag in Chittagong on October 25. His arrest on November 25 led to protests and violent clashes, resulting in a lawyer's death. ISKCON Kolkata reported further arrests and vandalism of an ISKCON center during the unrest. The Ministry of External Affairs has raised concerns over the violence and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.
Doubts Revealed
Veena Sikri
Veena Sikri is a former Indian diplomat who served as the High Commissioner to Bangladesh. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador, representing India in another country.
Bail
Bail is a way for someone who is arrested to be released from jail while they wait for their trial. They usually have to pay money or promise to follow certain rules to stay out of jail until the court decides if they are guilty or not.
ISKCON
ISKCON stands for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is a religious organization that follows the teachings of Lord Krishna, a Hindu deity.
Chinmoy Krishna Das
Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is a former leader of ISKCON in Bangladesh. He was involved in a legal case for allegedly raising a saffron flag, which is a color often associated with Hinduism.
Chattogram
Chattogram, also known as Chittagong, is a major city in Bangladesh. It is an important port city and has a court where legal cases are heard.
Sedition charges
Sedition charges are serious accusations that someone is trying to incite people to rebel against the government. It means they are accused of trying to cause trouble or unrest.
Saffron flag
A saffron flag is often used in Hindu religious contexts. Saffron is a color that represents Hinduism and is considered sacred in the religion.
Minorities in Bangladesh
Minorities in Bangladesh refer to groups of people who are not part of the majority population. In Bangladesh, the majority are Muslims, and minorities include Hindus, Christians, and others.
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