Iskcon released a clarification on Friday following reports that it had distanced itself from priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested in Bangladesh on sedition charges.
Iskcon Bangladesh affirmed its support for Das, stating it maintains its position on defending his rights to peacefully advocate for the protection of Hindus and their religious sites.
“Iskcon has not, and does not distance itself from supporting Chinmoy Krishna Das’s rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship. We also support, along with all other sanatani groups, protection and safety of Hindus, and re-establishing an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence with minorities in Bangladesh,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Many of our press statements and interviews have made this fully clear. We have only clarified, something that was already said by us in the past many months, regarding him not officially representing ISKCON in Bangladesh,” it added.
Previously, the organisation had stated that Das’s actions did not represent the religious body.
The situation in Bangladesh has become tense following Das Brahmachari’s arrest, leading to protests nationwide and reported attacks on ISKCON temples and Hindu religious sites.
The situation worsened after assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam died during confrontations between security forces and demonstrators following Das’s denied bail. Subsequently, a legal petition was filed seeking to prohibit ISKCON’s activities in Bangladesh.
Whilst the high court rejected an immediate ban, it advised the government to maintain law and order. The additional attorney general Aneek R Haque and deputy attorney general Md Asad Uddin reported three cases regarding Saiful Islam Alif’s death and Iskcon’s activities, with 33 arrests made.
Das’s arrest stemmed from his action of placing a saffron flag above the national flag during an October rally, violating the Bangladesh Flag Rules, 1972, which prohibits flying any flag above the national flag.