Bangladesh court rejects plea to ban ISKCON: All you need to know

ISKCON Bangladesh general secretary Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari said in a press conference that the organisation was never involved in “communal or conflict-driven activities”. Das added that Chinmoy was previously expelled from the organisation for violating its rules and none of his activities were connected to ISKCON. Here is what to know.

Who demanded the ban on ISKCON Bangladesh?

Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque and Deputy Attorney General Asad Uddin informed the High Court (as the top court is called in Bangladesh) that three separate cases have been filed in this regard.

The Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum on Thursday also staged a protest against the lawyer’s killing and demanded a ban on ISKCON. The organisation is associated with Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which led the recent student protests in Bangladesh and played a part in the ouster of Hasina earlier this year, called for a ban as well.

To recall, Chinmoy is a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote. He was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday as he was about to fly to Chattogram to join a rally advocating for the rights of Hindus in Bangladesh. He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Attorney-General Mohammad Asaduzzaman urged the court not to take any decisions on the issue and said the government was acting on the matter. ISKCON Bangladesh also refuted allegations linking the organisation to the lawyer’s death.

What is ISKCON and who founded it?

On its website, ISKCON describes itself as belonging to the “Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradāya, a monotheistic tradition within the Vedic or Hindu culture. Philosophically it is based on the Sanskrit texts Bhagavad-gītā and the Bhagavat Purana, or Srimad Bhagavatam. These are the historic texts of the devotional bhakti yoga tradition, which teaches that the ultimate goal for all living beings is to reawaken their love for God, or Lord Krishna, the “all-attractive one”.”

Also known as the Hare Krishna Movement, it was founded in New York City in 1966 by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda (1896-1977). He hailed from Bengal, which led his organisation to eventually develop a significant presence there, including in present-day Bangladesh.

ISKCON came up when counterculture, a rejection of societal norms, was at its peak in the United States during the 1960s. It was also a period when the Vietnam War led the youth to criticise the political establishment that sought to enlist them into the military, to fight in a faraway conflict. Other social movements, such as civil rights and feminism, were also active.

Many young people in the West sought transcendental experiences through multiple routes, from psychedelic drugs to meditation. In this context, Hinduism and Eastern philosophy emerged as attractive alternatives for many. Renowned American poet Allen Ginsburg was also one of ISKCON’s early supporters. The Beatles’ member George Harrison is known to have gifted a manor house to the Hare Krishna movement to establish a base in the UK.

What activities does ISKCON engage in?

ISKCON today has 650 temples in more than 80 countries, with guest houses, vegetarian restaurants (in line with its worldview) and other attached facilities. The organisation also engages in relief work at times. During the Covid-19 lockdown, it said it fed 5,500 people in London, daily.

Its website notes historian AL Basham writing of its growth in a short period: “It arose out of next to nothing in less than twenty years and has become known all over the West. This, I feel, is a sign of the times and an important fact in the history of the Western world.”

At the same time, it has been criticised for reports of corporal punishment meted out to children within the organisation, as well as child sex abuse allegations (particularly in the ’80s).

How has the Indian government reacted?

The Indian government has repeatedly raised concerns over reports of attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh, in the aftermath of the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government. On Tuesday, it expressed “deep concern” over Chinmoy’s arrest and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minority groups.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed concern but refrained from commenting further. Speaking in the State Assembly, she said, “Bangladesh is a different country. The government of India will look into it. It does not come under our jurisdiction. We are not supposed to talk about it or interfere. While we feel sorry inside, we follow the policies set by the Centre.” She added that she had spoken with representatives of ISKCON.

(With PTI inputs)