Amid reports of deities being desecrated during Durga Puja, MEA urges Bangladesh govt to ensure safety of Hindus, other minorities

MEA condemns thefts and desecration of temples during Durga Puja in Bangladesh, urges government to protect minorities.

Calling the recent untoward incidents taking place in Bangladesh during the Durga Puja festivities “deplorable,” the Ministry of External Affairs urged the Bangladesh government to ensure “safety and security of Hindus and all minorities.”

As many as 17 persons have been arrested and about a dozen cases registered after Bangladesh witnessed about 35 untoward incidents related to the ongoing Durga Puja celebrations across the country this month, police said in Dhaka.

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These developments came a day after it was discovered that a hand-crafted golden mukut (crown) gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stolen from a Hindu temple in Bangladesh’s southwestern Satkhira district amid Durga Puja celebrations, a theft over which India expressed concern.

“These are deplorable events. They follow a systematic pattern of desecration and damage to temples and deities that we have witnessed over several days now,” the MEA said in a statement.

“We call upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities and their places of worship, especially during this auspicious festival time,” it added.