SC Declines Plea On Protection Of Hindus In Bangladesh; Cites Foreign Affairs

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking protection for Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh following ongoing violence.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar observed that the issue falls under foreign affairs and that the Court cannot intervene in the internal matters of another country.

Following this, the petitioner withdrew the plea, leading to its dismissal.

The petition was filed by Ludhiana-based businessman and philanthropist Rajesh Dhanda, who chairs the Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee in Ludhiana and serves as Vice Chairman of the ISKCON Mandir Steering Board.

Beyond seeking protection for Hindus facing violence in Bangladesh, the plea also urged an extension of the deadline for citizenship applications from those who had fled to India due to persecution.

Petitioner Seeks Government Action On Bangladesh Minority Rights

The petitioner sought directions for the Central government to take diplomatic or international legal steps to curb atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.

It also called for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to instruct the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh to provide aid and assistance to affected individuals.

The plea cited historical precedents where sovereign nations have raised human rights violations in international forums like the International Court of Justice and the United Nations.

It contended that the MEA and MHA had not taken adequate measures to safeguard the rights of minorities in Bangladesh.

According to the petition, religious minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains, face escalating violence and risk mass displacement due to state-backed attacks.

It stressed the need for immediate diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh’s administration to prevent further atrocities.

The plea further attributed recent violence against minorities to unrest following the fall of Bangladesh’s democratically elected government, alleging incidents of killings, abductions, and property seizures.

Regarding citizenship, the petition pointed out that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, set a cut-off date of December 31, 2014, for eligibility.

Given the ongoing violence, the plea urged an extension of this deadline to accommodate those fleeing persecution.

It emphasized the need for urgent intervention from the Indian government.

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