New Delhi, Nov 26 : The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, a prominent ISKCON leader in Bangladesh, has sparked wave of anger and outrage among the religious leaders, back home.

Several Hindu saints and seers lashed out at Bangladesh government over the illegal arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, who stood up to acts of persecution against the Hindu minorities in the Muslim-majority country.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday night.

The 'Sant Samaj' in India, objecting strongly to his illegal arrest by Bangladesh police, urged the global leaders to speak out against the growing intolerance and repeated harassment of Hindu minorities in the country. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on Monday also urged the government to take immediate steps for securing release of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Condemning the arrest, Mahant Balak Das, Patalpuri Peethadheeshwar, stated, 'This is outright targeting of Hindus. If Hindus do not stand up for Sanatan Dharma, then who will? This arrest is condemnable. Those harbouring wrong intentions against Sanatan Dharma must be punished. I demand his immediate release and action against the wrongdoers.'

Mahant Jagdishwar Das echoed similar sentiments, stating, 'Everyone has equal rights, but in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, atrocities against Hindus continue unchecked. The Hindu minority has decreased from five per cent to one per cent of the population, while in India, minorities have grown from five per cent to 20 per cent, living peacefully alongside Hindus. This arrest is unjust. National and international courts must take action to protect religious freedom.'

Addressing the same matter, Mahant Balak Das Ji Maharaj from Punjab, said: 'The constant attacks on Sanatan Dharma by such 'jihadi ideologies' are unacceptable. Hindus worldwide are now awake and united. I urge our government and the foreign ministry to intervene and secure Swami Chinmoy Krishna Das's release at the earliest.'

The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a leading member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) comes amidst increasing concerns about ill-treatment of Hindu community under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Mahamandaleshwar Sitaram Ji Maharaj pointed out, 'This is a temple that provided aid and support during Bangladesh's independence. Arresting its leader shows their intolerance towards truth. Politicians who champion secularism must take notice of how Hindus are being targeted in neighbouring countries.'

Mahamandaleshwar Purushottam Das Ji Maharaj added, 'The atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh are known worldwide. This arrest is a clear violation of religious freedom and must be condemned. The Sant Samaj demands immediate action to address this injustice.'

Acharya Ved Bihari Maharaj from Vrindavan remarked, 'The behaviour of Bangladesh towards Hindus is deplorable. Wearing dhoti and kurta is even prohibited there. If such actions occurred in India, international organisations would quickly speak out. However, the silence on the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh is disheartening."

"Chinmoy Krishna Das was only advocating for Sanatan Dharma, and this does not warrant such drastic action. If a Sanatan flag was given more importance over a national flag, action could have been taken specifically for that'but targeting Hindus as a whole is wrong,' he added.

/IANS