New Delhi, Feb 23 : A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Ministry of External Affairs to take remedial steps to stop 'atrocities, violence and state-sponsored genocide/persecutions of Hindus minority in Bangladesh.

As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan will hear the PIL on February 24 (Monday).

The petition also prays for extension of cut-off dates under The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 to Bangladeshi Hindus who have entered India due to recent violence, atrocities and other state-sponsored political persecution.

As per the plea, in July-August last year, Bangladesh saw the downfall of a democratically elected government and control of administration was 'shifted to faction supported by radical Islamist groups who openly advocate persecution and expulsion of Hindus and other minorities from Bangladesh'.

'After seizing control of administration, state-sponsored attacks are being done on the persons, properties and other establishment of Hindu minorities. There are hundreds of spine-chilling videos available on social media which show how students and other persons belonging to minority communities are being killed without any reason, temples being destroyed and illegal arrests being made,' claimed the PIL filed through advocate Manohar Pratap.

Further, it referred to the answer given by the Minister of State in External Affairs that the Union government is 'aware of attacks on Hindus' in Bangladesh.

In Lok Sabha, Union Minister Kirti Vardhan, in a written reply on February 7, said that in the last two months (November 26, 2024, till January 25, 2025), 76 cases of incidents of attacks against Hindus have been reported in Bangladesh, and since August reports have cited deaths of 23 Hindus and 152 incidents of attack on Hindu temples.

'The Government of India has taken note of the incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh. India's expectations regarding the protection of Hindus and other minorities were reiterated during the visit of the Foreign Secretary to Bangladesh on December 09, 2024. he High Commission of India in Dhaka continues to monitor the situation related to minorities closely,' the <inister added.

/IANS