Home

Featured Articles

Apr 23, 2025
Shail Derashri

Bengal Waqf Violence: Exposing the De-sensitised Hindu

A mob. 10,000 strong. Lethal weapons. Police weapons snatched. Cops Rescued. This is the madness that unfolded in the state of West Bengal after the 2025 NDA government passed the WAQF Act amendment bill. The scenes across various parts of the state were vivid with arson, intimidation and even lethal violence. This was not a new conflict, but one that had been witnessed through ages. Believers of one religion breaking hard upon those whom they termed as “non-believers”. Picture your neighbourhood. What will be your response if such a horror is unfolding two blocks away from where you live? You have a family – kids, old parents and even members who are battling diseases. The howls of an approaching mob draw closer. Your home is your haven, and you are no master of weapons, arms or ammunition. The events you are witnessing are similar to what you have seen on television, but you never suspected that your home could be in such a state of turbulent and mindless vandalism. You are scared for your family and your life. You have been praying to your God to protect your family. Your neighbour just called informing you how the goons have even snatched away weapons from the police, and that the cops themselves have needed to be rescued. There is no rescue coming. You have barely managed to barricade the door and windows with the furniture in your home. Afterall – the approaching mob is made up of cruel youths who have one agenda and a focused approach to violence, while you have been using your mental energy to create and give back to the society, making sure your ageing parents are in good health, your children are getting a good education and you are tending to the sick. The standoff is between the dark forces who threaten to extinguish the light from your eyes and the moral character of empathy and creation, which makes one human. There can be only two courses of action – either stand your ground and Fight! Or manage to escape and save your family from the jaws of the approaching blood-thirsty mob. What would you have done when such mad violence was meters away from your home and your family? A mob that was out to get you based on your religious identity of polytheism. Fight? or Flight? Yes! Hindus fled! They fled for their dear lives! They were not soldiers trained for battle – they were ordinary Hindus who were looking to give their families the best they could. The homes they were forced to leave behind were not houses – they were homes – made from memories, love and care. Each brick in those homes had a story to tell – the things which decorated those homes had been part of countless conversations and tears. Hindu families were forced to abandon the standing statements of their life’s work so they could continue to live. Why? Not because they were weak or cowards. But because they were intelligent enough to understand that life is way more precious than false bravery. To travel the world with a planned luggage and a backpack is one thing, but to be forced to flee from it – abandon it – leaving behind even the comforts and the essentials – is an entirely different action. The Hindus of West Bengal abandoned their homes. What should have called for candlelight marches and an empathetic stretch of arms towards them was, in the most gruesome way, portrayed as an action of cowards. This narrative is a toxic one. Brutal. Emotionless. Twisted. Arrogant. Evil. Jackals howled on various social media platforms, abusing the Hindus who fled from their homes. How fair was it to abuse the escaping Hindus of West Bengal who were just looking to survive? Jackals in the cloaks of elite social media influencers and verified handles were no better than the blood-thirsty mob. These jackals were out to deal a psychological and morale blow to the Hindu psyche. How empty and ill-placed their curses and disdain are can be seen when you consider the following: Not every Hindu will know how to wield a weapon. But the very people who freely abused the Hindus who escaped the angry monotheistic mobs would be the first to run and hide if their homes or families came under attack. Such people not just lack weapons, but also the muscle and brains to fight in self-defence. Even during Muslim invasions, the kings and their armies fought off the enemies, not a regular potter or a handloom weaver. But nowadays, an entire segment of elite buffoons (or jackals) is busy hurling abuses at fleeing Hindus. How many of these elites would have the gall like Gopal Patha? India has stood witness to both benevolent and fierce kings, and strong governments post 1947, such that brute force was used to ward off enemies and anti-social elements to protect the kingdom’s population. A more recent example in history is the curbing of the Naxal movement, where both the state and central government have worked together to protect their citizens. But with the situation in West Bengal, a failed state seems to be in fashion. A state that fails to protect the most basic right of life for its citizens is a weak state – in the present-day context, this “State” is both the Central government as well as the State Government. With a federal structure, central forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF), Border Security Force (BSF), and National Security Guard (NSG) are deployed for internal security, counter-insurgency, and law and order maintenance, while state police forces, under the respective states' authority, also play a crucial role in maintaining law and order – and are the first line of defense against any disturbances that threaten public order. In the current events unfolding in West Bengal, the state police have come across as a handicapped authority, whose weapons were snatched and whose personnel needed to be rescued. The state police wield enough power to curb any internal disturbances in the State, but it was seen as brought to its knees. The State of West Bengal failed its citizens. The Constitution of India mentions five terms related to security (or internal security), namely, ‘pubic order’ (List II, Entry 2), ‘war’ (Article 352), ‘external aggression’ (Article 352), ‘armed rebellion’ (Article 352), and ‘internal disturbance’ (Article 355). Under Article 355, the Centre can deploy its forces to protect a state against “external aggression and internal disturbance,” even when the state concerned does not requisition the Centre’s assistance and is reluctant to receive central forces. In the case of a state’s opposition to the deployment of armed forces of the Union, the right course for the Centre is to first issue directives under Article 355 to the state concerned, and “in the event of the state not complying with the directive, of the Central government, the Centre can take further action under Article 356 – The President’s Rule. Several Articles in the Constitution suggest that the Centre enjoys more powers than the states on internal security matters. The centre has the powers to deal with the internal law and order problems within each state, meaning the Central government could intervene and protect the loss of life and property of its citizens in any of its states. Blaming the West Bengal state government for the current situation is as necessary as blaming the Central government, too. With all the options available with both the Central government and the State government, neither exercised its powers. Rather, a more disturbing conclusion gets drawn from this inaction – that the state (both central and state government) is acting like it has bought front row tickets to this show of blood and gore, where a Hindu is doomed to suffer. Self-protection was not a punishable offence that invited jail time back in the days. But nowadays, if a Hindu retaliates, he will rot in jail (unlike Sharjeel Imam, who, even after sedition charges, is out on bail), and if they run for their dear lives, they get abused. What is happening in Bengal is a repeat of 2021 violence when Hindus who fled to Assam were abused using the argument- “Mamta ko vote kiya! Ab Bhugto!” Or “Bhagode”, or similar shameful comments. This is a pattern-not an isolated incident, where the victim is the one being abused. What kind of a Hindu society are we? Who, rather than feeling the pain of our Hindu brothers and sisters, are first in line to hurl the most insane, illogical abuses at them? Hindus of Bangladesh faced similar verbal and moral atrocities by none other than “Hindus” of Bharat. Re-Sensitise your Hindu identity!

Apr 21, 2025
Vladimir Adityanaath

Erased in Silence: The Systematic Purge of Hindu Educators in Bangladesh

Prelude Persecution, discrimination and various other atrocities like murder, torture, extortion, rape and coercion to convert the native Hindu minority population of Bangladesh are not mere individual events, but a major component of a well-planned strategy to kill, convert or drive them away from their ancestral lands. Islamists use slurs like Malaun (cursed by Allah), Kafir, agents of India or R&AW agents to refer Hindus. The systematic persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh dates back to the colonial period. Academicians and veteran journalists like Dr. Richard Benkin, Kalyan Chaudhuri, Wardatul Akmam, Sabyasachi Ghosh Dastidar and Jaideep Mazumdar have termed the near-century-long atrocities as a vital component of a genocidal campaign against Hindus orchestrated by Islamists. After the fall of the coalition government headed by Sheikh Hasina on 5th August, Islamists have been systematically targeting Hindu educators in renowned schools and colleges across Bangladesh, attempting to remove them from their designations. With the covert and occasionally overt backing of political parties and Islamist organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Hefajot-e-Islam, Muslim extremists are orchestrating “protests” demanding the resignation of Hindu educationists. Fabricated grievances and misinformation are being used to mobilise crowds, with criminals and party goons forming a significant portion of the protestors. At least 60 Hindu educators were forced to resign between 5th August and 1st September, 2024 [1] [2] [3]. Over 100 Hindu public servants have either been forced to resign or dismissed from their jobs by the unelected interim government of Bangladesh [4]. Islamists and the unelected interim government of Bangladesh are pursuing a policy of removing Hindus from the educational and public sectors. This would allow Islamists to radicalise young Muslim students and target impressionable Hindu students for conversion. If Hindus have minimal representation at the State level, it would make the pursuit of justice for victims near-impossible for the victims. Aggressors would find it extremely easy to convince an Islamised administration to turn a blind eye towards the atrocities on the remaining 1.3 crore (13 million) Hindu population of Bangladesh. KantiLal Acharya, the former Acting Headmaster of the Bhatiari Haji Tobarak Ali High School is the latest victim of this purge. [2] The orchestrated protests and demands for resignation In late 2019, Hindu educator Liton Das was forced to resign from his post in the same educational institution on highly suspicious charges, lacking any evidence. Bhabana Acharya, the daughter of KantiLal Acharya, recalls that he was framed by local Islamists [5]. KantiLal Acharya had an excellent teaching career spanning over 35 years and is well-respected by the students he taught. On 15th April, KantiLal Acharya Ji was accused of misconduct, bias, and the allegations included violation of the due process for appointing the President of an ad-hoc committee responsible for running the school. As per the educational guidelines of the school, the acting principal has no role in the appointment of the President of the school administration committee. Though there is no evidence of KantiLal Ji violating the guidelines and overstepping his authority either, they demanded his resignation. Other teachers of the school and eyewitnesses claim that local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders and activists had a grudge against the appointed President, Mahiuddin Ahmed, Acting Headmaster KantiLal Acharya, Senior Teachers Harun-Al-Rashid and Zafar Ahmed. KantiLal Ji was forbidden from going to school and resuming his duties by some of his fellow teachers and authorities, who warned that he could be humiliated. Mahiuddin Ahmed being a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, Hindumisia (hatred for Hindus) can be the only possible explanation of why the life and dignity of only the Hindus were under threat. His daughter Bhabana Acharya says that KantiLal Ji had refused to bow down under pressure, saying that he is innocent and the allegations against him are baseless. Asking why should he escape like a corrupt person, he had demanded evidence of the allegations levelled against him [6]. A mob of 139 people, consisting of only 6-7 students who were members of the student wing of BNP and Islamists having no association with the high school, detonated crude petrol bombs inside the school premises on 16th April. Humiliating the only Hindu, KantiLal Ji, a senior teacher, as a Dedaiya Halarfoya (a vulgar religious slur against Hindus in the local dialect of Chattagram commonly used by Islamists), they demanded his resignation. The so-called protestors had attempted to force KantiLal Ji to sign a pre-prepared resignation letter, which stated that he had committed malpractice and was resigning on his own free will. Despite being harassed and manhandled, the aged Professor had remained undaunted. After hours of harassment and he was forced to sign another resignation letter stating that he was resigning for “personal reasons”. The Islamists had even attempted to physically attack him. During this scuffle, one of the close associates of Mahiuddin Ahmed, who was standing next to Kanti Lal Ji received grievous skull injuries. Bhatiari Union BNP President Nurul Anwar had claimed that KantiLal Ji was forced to resign under the pressure of an agitated public. He says that “extensive charges of corruption” have been levelled against him. Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), reportedly told the News agency Prothom Alo that he is leading a probe committee comprising the advisory members of the Chattagram Secondary and Intermediate education in this regard [7]. Resignation letter obtained from KantiLal Acharya Most of the students who were taught by KantiLal Ji were extremely supportive of him and claimed that all the allegations against him were baseless. Ironically, none of the three muslims accused alongside him were forced to resign. References: [1]https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/world/2024/Aug/21/the-new-normal-journalists-detained-hindu-teachers-forced-to-resign-in-bangladesh [2] https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.indiatoday.in/amp/world/story/hindu-teachers-principals-forced-resignation-bangladesh-viral-videos-taslima-nasreen-2591679-2024-09-01 [3]https://www.google.com/amp/s/organiser.org/2024/08/21/252776/world/asia/islamisation-of-educational-institution-in-bangladesh-islamists-force-100s-of-hindu-teachers-professionals-to-resign/amp/ [4] Reports compiled by local Hindu organisations [5] Victim testimony of Bhabana Acharya [6] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17nBctgddE/ [7] https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/local-news/j6f0z672ld All the images are provided by the author.