This Navratra, it seems, a sort of viscious criminal and communal madness was unleashed against Hindus in the Bharatiya subcontinent. The worst happened in Bangladesh, Kashmir-Bharat, Pakistan and in many other parts of Bharat. Though it seemed sudden but the fact of the matter is that these terrible things have been happening for decades now in these areas.
The ‘Islamic Jehad’ in one or the other form was visible through the acts of selective killings, rapes, demolition of temples and puja pandals and creating mayhem against the Hindu community at a large scale.
As per the report received from Dipan Mitra, Secretary General of World Hindu Federation, Bangladesh Chapter, in Bangladesh, Hindus are facing a heinous attack all over the country. The incidents started by the extremist groups (Muslims) by keeping a copy of Quran on the feet of Sri Hunuman murti inside the Nanuar Dighir Par Durga Puja pandal. Then they took photographs of the same and shared them on Facebook on 13 October, 2021.
The passions against Hindus were aroused and the issue of ‘insulting Islam’ was flared up. Thus mobs gathered and started attacking Hindu temples in Cumilla town. After that, the attack on temples and Hindus spread all over Bangladesh.
During the Durga Puja, the main religious festival of Hindus of Bangladesh and West Bengal, extremist Muslim groups attacked Hindus and their puja pandals and temples in almost 30 districts of Bangladesh. They vandalized more than 315 Temples and murtis and looted all valuable things lying therein.
Throughout Bangladesh, they attacked and vandalized nearly 1500 Hindu houses in Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Chapai Nawabgonj and other districts. Hindu owned shops and business places were also vandalized and looted in Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Feni and other districts in Bangladesh.
As per Dipan Mitra, more than 10 Hindus were killed, with confirmation as follows: Manik Saha at Hazigonj in Chandpur, Jatan Saha (Hindu Priest) at Choumohoni, Noakhali, Priest Nimai Krishna Dasa and other priest (name unknown) at ISCON Mandir, Noakhali, 3 Priests (name unknown) at Ram Thakur Ashram of Choumohoni, Noakhali, Prashanta Das (26 Years) at Cumilla, 1 person at Ramu Durga Temple, Cox’s Bazar.
Till now, 17 Hindus are still missing in Bangladesh. More than 23 Hindu women and girls were raped including 3 in a single family. One Hindu girl (10 yrs old) was gang-raped and later died. These heinous crimes in the name of religion by a particular community against the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh are a serious human rights violation. This is an open Jehad against the non-Muslims in Bangladesh.
Dipan Mitra has circulated a district wise data of the destruction and carnage against Hindu temples and properties in his report. He also mentioned that lack of justice in favour of Hindu minorities is giving birth to new crimes in his country. He appealed to the government of Bangladesh for immediate arrest of all the culprits and awarding exemplary punishment to all of them. The failures of the Bangladesh government are visible and stark.
In Kashmir valley, around the same period selective killings against Hindus and Sikhs took place. The responsibility of the killings was taken by the Muslim terror groups active in the valley. A number of non-Muslims were butchered by the terrorists in the valley in the month of October during the Navratra festival. The killings need to be seen in the background of the ethnic cleansing of the valley that took place during 1989-90 and onward.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Article 370 and 35A coupled with the separate constitution and separate flag were neutralized in the Jammu and Kashmir state in August 2019. The nullification of Article 370 was heavily resisted by a section of the political class and administration both in J&K as well as in Delhi. In this context, Sanjay Dixit, retired Indian Civil servant and a prominent author, in his analysis, explains the following:
“However, after the initial euphoria, I began to realise that the elements who were resisting the nullification of Article 370 had taken control once again in the name of familiarity with the state, and had started patronising those very elements that had either led the jihad in Kashmir, or had acted as its overground and underground workers. In effect what happened was that Article 370 became ineffective de jure, but continued to exist de facto as Delhi once again opted for a dozen times failed policy of winning the hearts and minds of separatists, instead of consolidating itself in the hearts and minds of those wholesome elements that preferred India over the jihadis. As a result, the de jure Islamic state created on the soil of India through Article 370 got dismantled, but the de facto Islamic state continues to hold fort. The same mind-set that abandoned the Ikhwans and led a person like Kuka Parrey, who helped India recover Kashmir, be killed; once again allowed all the gains to be frittered away. An attempt to create an artificial ‘feel good’ narrative without dealing with the fundamentals was never going to work. Right now, if there appears to be a revival in terrorism, it is squarely due to intelligence agencies-backed failed policies. Add the backroom manoeuvres to appease the Abdullahs and the Muftis and the cycle was complete. To compound the problem, the narrative correction that should have followed the nullification of Article 370 never even got attempted. What is happening in the Valley is Islamic jihad. Terror is only one of its facets. Jihad is a ‘Total War’ Doctrine. It begins with brainwashing of minds and operates on multiple fronts. The book Quranic Concept of War, which is taught in Kakul Military Academy of Pakistan is never read by our civil and military leadership. Otherwise they cannot figure out why the very existence of a non-believer is considered oppression and injustice”.
The genocide against the Hindu minorities in Kashmir is unabated. Non-Muslims killed during the last one year in the Kashmir valley includes: Ajay Bharti Pandita, Sarpanch, Akash Mehra-Krishna Dhabha, Satpal Nischal, Jeweller, Shanker Chowdhary, labourer, Rakesh Pandita, Chairman, Tral Municipal Council, Ajay Kapoor, Anil Kumar Pandita, Bantu Sharma, Ajay Dhar, M.L.Bindroo, prominent chemist, Virender Paswan, Supinder Kaur, Deepak Chand Mehra, Arbind Kumar, Raja Reshi and Joginder Reshi. Another Hindu labourer from Bihar, Chun Chun Reshi was also brutally attacked and has been hospitalised.
In addition to this, a number of cases of desecration of temples and places of worship were also registered and the latest being the case of Barghshikha shrine at Mattan, Anantnag-Kashmir.
This orgy of violence against non-Muslims has not been limited to Kashmir or Bangladesh only, the Muslim extremist groups went on rampage even in a number of places in Pakistan and West Bengal state of Bharat. There seems to be a pattern in these attacks. Navratra was chosen as the occasion to do the heinous crimes.
Secondly, acts which would lead to killings were effectively inflicted upon. Thirdly, desecration, demolition and torching of temples were carried on everywhere with meticulous planning. Since Afghanistan has already been cleansed of minority Hindu and Sikh population, therefore, there was no such a reporting from Afghanistan this time.
This madness of violence and killings against the Hindus and desecration of their temples, homes and businesses coupled with threats and rapes committed upon the innocent women-folk need to be brought before the world in a big way. People of Hindu origin and culture all over the world should demonstrate and protest against this Jehadi terror against Hindus in the Bharatiya subcontinent. It is also time to send reports in this connection to the international human rights organisations and the embassies of the concerned countries.
The Hindu diaspora has a special responsibility to take this matter to the UN and its organs in New York and Geneva. This article may also be used as a report on the situation and forwarded to the concerned quarters. Even governments concerned should be presented reports forthwith to highlight the issues under discussion. In order to apprise the world about the Islamic Jehad and terror connected with it, this is the minimum that one is expected to do.
