Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India]: The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) performed special prayers in all the subordinate temples including the Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham for the safety of Hindus amidst the Bangladesh unrest.
According to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), “Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) prayed for the safety of lives of Hindus and temples in Bangladesh. Under this, Puja-archana was performed in all the subordinate temples including Badrinath Dham and Shri Kedarnath Dham.”
BKTC Media Incharge Dr Harish Gaur said that Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay expressed concern over the demolition of temples in Bangladesh and the atrocities being committed by some elements on Hindus and other minorities.
“To pray for the safety of the lives of Hindus of Bangladesh and to give them the strength to deal with this situation, a special Puja-Archana was organized in all the major temples under the temple committee today,” he said.
Additionally, he said, “Prayers were also offered at the second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar, Vishwanath Temple Guptkashi, Nrusinha Temple Joshimath, Sita Mata Temple Chaani Joshimath, Gopal Temple Nandprayag and the Maa Chandrabadni Temple Dehradun to seek relief from the atrocities being committed on Hindus in Bangladesh.”
Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor of the interim government of Bangladesh, visited the historic Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka in Dhaka on Tuesday, where he assured the minorities in Bangladesh of their safety and security in the country.
“Rights are equal for everyone. We are all one people with one right. Do not make any distinctions among us. Please, assist us. Exercise patience, and later judge — what we were able to do and not. If we fail, then criticise us,” Prof Yunus was quoted as saying by Bangladesh newspaper Daily Star.
“In our democratic aspirations, we should not be seen as Muslims, Hindus, or Buddhists, but as human beings. Our rights should be ensured. The root of all problems lies in the decay of institutional arrangements. That is why, such issues arise. institutional arrangements need to be fixed,” he added.
According to the Daily Star, Yunus met with representatives of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, as well as officials from the temple management board.
The Dhaka Tribune reported that Yunus also urged the Hindu community people to consider themselves children of the soil.
“You simply say that you are human, a citizen of Bangladesh, and this is your constitutional right that must be ensured. Just demand this, nothing more,” Prof Yunus was quoted as saying.
Following Younus’ visit, a significant meeting was held between representatives of the Muslim community and the Hindu minority at the temple.
This gathering served as a platform for open dialogue, where both communities discussed various issues and worked towards strengthening communal harmony.
Participants of the meeting expressed their mutual understanding and emphasized the importance of unity in fostering a peaceful society.
Further, they assured each other that the minority Hindu community was not in danger and that any attempts to harass or attack them would be met with legal repercussions.
Prof Muhammad Yunus’s outreach could be seen as an effort to calm frayed nerves in the minority community. Recently several Hindu groups protested the violence against their community. Protests were reported from Bangladesh and cities like Toronto and London.