SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: The symphony of violence that erupted across Bangladesh during the Durga Puja celebrations, disrupting the holy rituals through unprecedented demolition of pavilions, desecration of idols and perpetrating inhuman acts of the barbarity of killing and rapes came in for condemnation through massive demonstration of anger and indignation by the Sangha outfits led by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in the three district headquarters of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi on Monday.
As it was simultaneously programmed, the assembly of protesters began around 11 am at the conveniently selected grounds of the three towns. From there, the processions moved through the main thoroughfares to reach the offices of the Deputy Commissioners. The huge gatherings and protests were addressed by the leaders of the VHP, BJYM, Mahila Morcha and the ABVP among others in the Barak Valley and other areas. The speakers lashed out at the 'Jamat e Islam', radical clerics and imams for their heinous provocations.
Santanu Naik, a member of the frontline VHP think tank, described the sequence of events as well-orchestrated, pre-planned and pre-meditated to stoke the flame of communal frenzy on imaginary and concocted grounds. This was exposed when a young Jamat leader was arrested from Commila by the BGB. He was involved in placing the Holy Quran at a Puja pandal. He questioned the belated action by the Sheikh Hasina Government which allowed the miscreants to spoil the greatest Hindu festival.
Purna Chandra Mandal, another top VHP leader, while hitting out at the systematic attacks on Hindus, saw behind it a deep-rooted pan- Islamic conspiracy to unsettle the non-Muslim population of Bangladesh. He narrated the tales of agonies of the Hindus as recorded in video clips and wanted to know why adequate security measures were not taken by Dhaka to pre-empt the mischief makers' sordid plan. More than 200 pandals, ISKCON temples were ransacked, priests killed and their bodies thrown into ponds. It was barbarism at its peak, he said.
Subrata Bhattacharjee, the BJP president of Karimganj, reminded Bangladesh that it was created by India in 1971 which could have become a part of greater India. India could do it now also. Mithun Nath, BJYM leader, took a jibe at the Hindus at home for rejoicing and dancing on the streets with Dashami procession while remaining quite oblivious of what happened in Bangladesh.
Others who addressed the assembly here included Mrinamayananda Maharaj of the 'Bharat Seva Sangha'; Vigyananda Maharaj of the 'Shankar Math'; and Abhyacharan Krishna of the 'Gauriya Math'. Identical memoranda were submitted to the Deputy Commissioners of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. These were addressed to the Prime Minister of India to exert pressure on his counterpart of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, to ensure the safety and security of Hindus who are living in panic.
Also watch: