A petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India, urging the Union Government to take immediate measures to halt the ongoing violence and atrocities committed against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
The petition also requests an extension of the cut-off date under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, to allow Hindus who have fled to India due to recent violence to apply for Indian citizenship.
Filed by Ludhiana-based businessman and philanthropist Rajesh Dhanda—Chairman of the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee, Ludhiana, and Vice Chairman of the ISKCON Steering Board—the petition is scheduled for consideration before the Bench of the Chief Justice of India on February 24.
The plea seeks a directive for the Union Government to adopt immediate diplomatic or other internationally recognized legal measures to prevent the persecution of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
Furthermore, it urges the Ministries of External Affairs (MEA) and Home Affairs (MHA) to instruct the High Commission of India in Bangladesh to provide aid and assistance to affected Hindu minorities facing religious and state-sponsored persecution.
The petition underscores precedents in modern history where sovereign nations have raised human rights violations in international forums, such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. It alleges that both the MEA and MHA have failed to take substantial international action to protect the rights of minorities in Bangladesh.
Additionally, the plea argues that religious minorities—including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and others—are on the verge of mass exodus due to widespread state-backed religious attacks. It calls for immediate diplomatic pressure and international legal measures to hold the Bangladeshi administration accountable and halt the ongoing violence.
The petition further highlights the rise of extremist religious groups following the fall of Bangladesh’s democratically elected government, which has led to mass killings, abductions, land seizures, and other crimes against minorities.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, currently stipulates December 31, 2014, as the cut-off date for eligibility.
However, given the recent mass killings and persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, the petition argues that this deadline should be extended to accommodate those seeking refuge in India. It emphasizes the urgent need for intervention by the Union Government to safeguard the affected minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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