New Delhi (India), February 24: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking protection for Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh amid ongoing violence. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated that the issue pertains to foreign affairs and, as such, the Court cannot comment on the internal affairs of another country.
Following the Court’s observations, the petitioner withdrew the plea, and the matter was dismissed.
The PIL was filed by Rajesh Dhanda, a Ludhiana-based businessman, philanthropist, and Chairman of Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav Committee, Ludhiana, and Vice Chairman of ISKCON Mandir Steering Board. The plea sought protection for Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh who have reportedly faced violence and persecution. It also requested an extension of the deadline for the consideration of citizenship applications for Hindus who have entered India due to the violence.
The petition sought the Supreme Court’s direction for the Indian government to take diplomatic or other international steps to prevent the atrocities and persecution of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh. Additionally, it called for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to instruct India’s High Commission in Bangladesh to provide assistance to affected minorities facing religious and state-sponsored persecution.
The plea cited historical examples where sovereign nations used international forums like the International Court of Justice and United Nations to address human rights violations in other countries. It also accused the MEA and MHA of failing to take such international measures to protect the rights of minorities in Bangladesh.
The petition highlighted the dire situation of minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and others) in Bangladesh, claiming that the persecution and state-sponsored religious attacks have pushed them to the brink of exodus. It further stated that the recent upheaval in Bangladesh, following the fall of a democratically elected government, had led to mass killings, abductions, property confiscations, and other criminal acts against minorities.
In the context of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the petition requested an extension of the cut-off date for the inclusion of names for eligibility under the Act, arguing that the recent violence and persecution in Bangladesh justified such a move.
The Court, however, refrained from intervening in the matter, citing that issues of foreign affairs should be dealt with by the executive branch of government.