Solidarity: Bhopalites Call For Justice For Hindus In Bangladesh Amid Rising Violence | FP Photo
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The roads of Bhopal turned saffron on Wednesday as people from all walks of life, not only from the state capital but also from adjoining areas, gathered for a massive protest against violence targeting the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Setting aside their daily routines, thousands of people, including seers, political leaders, businessmen, professionals, housewives, students, reached Bharat Mata Square (Depot Square) to participate in the protest rally. Carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans against the Bangladeshi government, the protesters made their anger and anguish evident as they marched towards Roshanpura Square.
Apart from BJP leaders, members of the party’s students’ wing, activists from right-wing organisations like Bajrang Dal, VHP, and other saffron groups also joined the protest.
The protest was scheduled to begin at 2 pm, but by 1.45 pm not many people were seen at the venue but within 15 minutes, people began pouring in from all directions, transforming the gathering into a massive sea of demonstrators. BJP leaders and ministers led a protest march from Bhadbhada Square to Roshanpura in Bhopal.
Slogans like “Jaat-Paat Ki Karo Vidai, Hum Sab Hindu Bhai-Bhai” and “Ek Rahenge to Safe Rahenge” echoed through the streets in the state capital. Protesters carried placards condemning the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and demanding immediate action. The demonstrators called for immediate action to ensure the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. They expressed their anguish over the atrocities the Hindus have been subjected to for the last few months in Bangladesh.
They demanded the Government of India to take a firm stand against Bangladesh and put ‘pressure’ on Bangladesh to ensure the safety and religious freedom of Hindus and other minority communities. The minority Hindu community in Muslim-majority Bangladesh has reportedly faced more than 200 attacks in 50-odd districts after Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government fell on August-5.
Traffic snarl post demonstration
Traffic on city roads was light during the morning hours, but the roads leading to Bharat Mata Square were jam-packed as thousands of people on two and four-wheelers made their way to join the protest. A large police force was deployed to manage traffic and maintain order at the site. However, the demonstration remained peaceful, leaving the police with little to do in terms of law enforcement. Though, later in the evening, severe traffic congestion was observed as the demonstration ended. There was chaos with widespread traffic violations, including vehicles entering one-way roads from the wrong direction. Cops had a tough time managing the traffic, and it took hours to clear the snarl and restore normal traffic flow after the protest concluded.
Two-km-long rally
The demonstration remained peaceful and the police did not use any force to manage the crowd. The contingents of seers, women, youths and political leaders marched towards the Roshanpura Square one after another to handover the memorandum to the Bhopal divisional commissioner. The rally stretched approximately two kilometers. When the first contingent reached Roshanpura square and handed over the memorandum, hundreds of demonstrators were still marching from Bharat Mata Square, making their way to the protest venue.
Heated arguments in some places…
Since the morning local BJP leaders were seen asking shopkeepers to pull their shutters down. In Tila Jamalpur, a few shopkeepers objected to shutting their outlets when BJP supporters asked them to do so in support of the protest against Bangladesh. Police had to intervene to defuse the tension.
Congress too comes out in support
State Congress president Jitu Patwari came out in support of the demonstration. The Congress is raising demands to ensure the safety of Hindus living in the USA, Canada, Bangladesh and other countries, said Patwari. He termed it as ‘Prime Minister’s Diplomatic failure’ to control violence against the Hindus in different countries. “One of the Congress members of Parliament from Saharanpur had asked the GoI to take strict action against Bangladesh. He had asked to stop operating the trains heading to Bangladesh,” said Patwari.
