Right-wing Hindu group urges BCCI to call off India-Bangladesh series

Mumbai: The right-wing Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has strongly condemned the decision to conduct the upcoming India-Bangladesh cricket series, describing it as a disgraceful act that deepens the wounds of Hindus while atrocities against them persist in the neighbouring country, which is in turmoil.

They have urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to immediately cancel all India-Bangladesh cricket matches, as well as cultural programs featuring Bangladeshi artists, until the attacks on Hindus are halted. 

A statement regarding this was submitted by the HJS to the Special Executive Officer of the BCCI.

On this occasion, Advocate Anish Paralkar of HJS, Vinayak Shinde of the Manav Seva Pratishthan, Advocate Rahul Patkar, Ravindra Dasari, and Sandeep Tulsakar were present. 

They also submitted a copy of the statement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. 

“India is set to host two Test matches and three T20s against Bangladesh from September 19 to October 12, 2024, in Chennai, Kanpur, Gwalior, Delhi, and Hyderabad. Meanwhile, the Hindu community in Bangladesh continues to face relentless attacks, with 230 reported deaths and incidents of anti-Hindu violence across 52 of the 64 districts,” HJS national spokesperson Ramesh Shinde said.

"Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, these attacks have intensified, especially in rural areas where Hindus live in constant fear. Recently, a young Hindu, Utsav Mandal, was brutally assaulted by a Jihadi mob inside a police station over alleged blasphemy charges, further illustrating the ongoing violence and persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh,” he said. 

The HJS emphasized that just as Muslim countries unite and strongly oppose any attacks on the Muslim community, India should adopt a similar stance against the violence targeting Hindus in Bangladesh.

"While fanatical Jihadis in Bangladesh openly kill Hindus, burn their homes, vandalize temples, seize land, and rape Hindu women, how can we play cricket matches with them? We will never tolerate this," the HJS said.