On Sunday evening, January 15, a 1000-strong mob attacked homes and shops of 5 Hindu families living in Uttar Kandi village, Kotalipara upazila, Gopalganj district, Dhaka division of Bangladesh. The place is also famous as Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s constituency.
As per reports, the familiar tactic of alleging blasphemy of Islam was used to mobilize the mob. It was claimed that a Hindu youth, who migrated to Bharat 7 years ago, had ‘hurt Muslim religious sentiments’ through a Facebook post. So the mob decided to vandalize the properties belonging to his extended family to ‘take revenge’.
As per Dhaka Tribune, a relative of the Hindu youth said he has been living in Bharat for the last 7 years. Besides, his father, mother and sister also moved to Bharat 3 months ago. There are five affected Hindu families and they are all living in fear now.
In a video recorded by activists, the elderly victims were seen urging the Sheikh Hasina govt. of Bangladesh to ensure their safety. Moreover, the victims claimed that every year Hindus of Gopalganj face communal attacks but there are no steps taken by authorities to give them justice.
Meanwhile, Kotalipara police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Zillur Rahman said the situation in that area is ‘normal now’.
“Additional police have been deployed. We have not received any complaints over the matter. If any complaint is filed, legal action will be taken after an investigation,” the OC said literally washing his hands off the whole affair.
Every day, there are several sacrilegious and deeply offensive social media posts made in Bharat targeting Hindu Dharma and its deities. Abrahamic clerics, missionaries and secular politicians openly spew venom against Dharma, and even don’t hesitate to invade our sacred spots. But when Hindus approach the police and expect the Indian Republic to stop this vilification of their religion, they are usually met with apathy and told to accept abuse in the name of ‘free speech’.
How long will these double standards exist in the subcontinent? How long will the forces of Dharma allow Adharma to prevail?