Mainul Islam Mondal

The incidents and reports of persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh are not new. Bangladesh’s population of 173 million has 13.8 million Hindus who make up about 8 percent of the country’s population. This means that 91 percent of Islam's followers have been oppressing the Hindu minority by taking advantage of their numbers.

The point to be noted is that despite New Delhi announcing that it would embrace Hindus from other parts of the world and grant them citizenship, the persecuted Hindus of Bangladesh have not flocked to India in droves. They have shown tolerance, patience, and patriotism by staying in their native country despite facing oppression and persecution.

Of late, Muslim fundamentalist forces in Bangladesh have taken to communal behavior. The reason behind this is that many Muslims believe that they can form a unified Muslim state by expelling Hindus from Bangladesh by coercion or deception. This feeling of Bangladeshi Muslims is rooted in their existential fears, despite over 90 percent population.

Sages of ISCKON protesting in Bangladesh

They believe that the religious aggression of a mere eight percent of Hindus and that of ISKCON will devour the Islamic faith and ideals because India, a close neighbour, is a Hindu-dominated country and growing well. So if the 'weak and meek' Hindus are expelled, the Muslims will enjoy the happiness of this world as well as the fruits of Paradise in the Hereafter, they believe.

One can trace the origins of such fears and visions to Madrassa education, which is prevalent in South Asian countries like India and Bangladesh. Besides providing Islamic education to Muslim students, one understands these institutions also impart communal education in the name of "Brother-in-Islam" or Islamic brotherhood (Ummah).

 There is no place for nationalism, sectarianism, or communalism in Islam. Instead, there is a group or community of righteous people who believe in one God and seek to establish justice in society. This can be understood by studying the 39 years of Islam founded by the Prophet Muhammad. A careful study of the entire Qur'an shows that Islam speaks of monotheism and the establishment of justice; there is no question of communalism or nationalism. Islam is not about hatred or violence but about  hillm meaning tolerance in the Arabic language.

However, the need to combat injustice to establish justice is also reiterated in Islam. These things do not usually go down the throats of the fanatics and hypocrites. It is worth mentioning here that while Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) was struggling to establish Islam, the Jews claimed that God had a special and unique relationship with them and that they alone deserved salvation in the Hereafter.

However, Allah rejects such ideas and declares in the Qur'an: “Indeed those who believed, and those who became the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians - who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteous deeds - will get their reward with their Lord; they will have no fear, nor will they grieve. (Chapter No. 2, Verse 62).

Students protesting in Banglades against atrocities on Hindus

Sadly, like the Jews, the majority of Muslims including the Bangladeshis today think that they alone have a desired relationship with Allah and only they will become successful on the Day of Judgment and eligible for entering into Paradise. The reason for such self-deceiving perception lies in their incomplete or flawed teaching of the traditional system of religious education.

Some others again believe that the aforesaid verse refers only to the earlier bearers of heavenly Books like Jews, Christians, and Sabians, who also believe in the Oneness and Sovereignty of God called Tawheed in Islam and does not include the righteous Hindus or Sanatanis of Hindustan.

However, it is clear from the 95th Chapter of the Qur'an that there is an infinite reward for all the righteous who believe in the unity and sovereignty of God called Tawheed in Islam: “Indeed, We created man in the best of mold. Then We returned him to the lowest of the low, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, then they will have never-ending reward. Then what causes you, after this, to deny the judgment? Is not Allah the Most Just of all judges?” (Chapter 95, verses 4 to 8).

Again, to understand whether Allah is the best judge of all judges, one can read verse 135 of the fourth chapter of the Qur'an. However, like Muslims, ISKCON-following Hindus believe in the Oneness of God. They earnestly follow the Srimad Bhagavad Gita which has been proclaiming monotheism for centuries. Hinduism may speak of 33 crores of 'devi and devtas',(demigods) but the followers of ISKCON promote Sri Krishna alone as the Supreme Lord. ISKCON stands for "International Society for Krishna Consciousness".

Former PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and the scene of her taking a flight to India

To be more clear and candid about this point of view, one may study Bhagavad Gita As It I" authored by Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON which resonates in the 20th verse of the 7th Chapter as: “Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their natures.

Religion indeed teaches people the art of self-control, righteousness, and self-discipline. Patience and tolerance are also the basics of all faiths. In this sense, no alternative to religion has been discovered to date. So indeed, we need religion. But nowadays, seeing the communal form of religion, people are on the path of abandoning formal faiths and becoming atheists. Atheism is seen spreading rapidly in Europe. But the Almighty Lord of the universe does not belong to any community. Rather He belongs to the entire humanity. He wants people to be honest and peaceful.

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Therefore, there can be no communalism in religion. If someone from ISKCON acts against the law of a state, the law can take befitting action against such perpetrator but every one of reason and consciousness should understand that it is nothing but communalism of the so-called adherents of Islam who instinctively spread violence against the followers of ISKCON or the Hindus in general.

(The author is an IGP with Assam Police)