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Union minister asks Modi to protect Hindus in Bangladesh after temple vandalism

Thakur wrote many shops were looted, people were taken hostage during the vandalism

shantanu thakur Shantanu Thakur | Via Twitter

Shantanu Thakur, minister of state for shipping in the Narendra Modi government, has written to the prime minister to take an initiative to protect and preserve the Hindu temples of Bangladesh days after some shrines were demolished in Khulna district.

This is the first time in last seven years of BJP government that a member of the Union council of ministers has raised his voice by asking his own government to act in connection with something that happened in the neighbouring country.

The letter written by Thakur was also a reminder of the past as Syama Prasad Mookerjee, being a cabinet minister of the Jawaharlal Nehru government, used to condemn the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) and used to ask the prime minister to take up the issue with the Pakistani government.

Thakur said one of the temples that was demolished on August 7 belonged to the Matua community, the same group he hailed from.

"The place is known as sacrosanct place for Matua community," he wrote.

Thakur, a leader of the Matua community in West Bengal, claimed that idols of his community leader, Harichand Thakur, Lord Ganesha and ‘Maa Durga’ have been demolished.

"Many shops were looted, and people were taken hostage," Thakur said in his letter to the prime minister.

The vandalism of Hindu temples in Khulna was reported in Indian media but Bangladeshi media largely shied away from reporting it. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has earlier written to Modi, asking him to take up the matter with Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina.

Thakur has also raised the same demand. He requested Modi to take stern action through proper channel (ministry of external affairs) to make authorities in Bangladesh understand India’s concerns. He said the place in Khulna is of great importance for his community that even the Matuas from Orakandi, where they originally hail from, take inspiration from Khulna temple.

Orakandi is the place where Modi went this year before West Bengal election and offered his prayers. Thakur also accompanied Modi on his trip.

Radical groups in Bangladesh opposed Modi offering puja there and incited violence. It is not known whether Modi has taken up the temple vandalism issue with Hasina.

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