Minister of state for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, has written to Prime minister Narendra Modi highlighting recent alleged attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh asking that the Indian government should take steps to safeguard their rights.
Thakur – a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bongaon – is also a leader of the Matua community in Bengal – listed under the Scheduled Castes.
In his letter, dated August 10, Thakur wrote “.. with great sorrow and grief I would like to inform you that on 07/08/2021 at midnight 1.30 am onwards some miscreants attacked were held in Hindu temples. Many shops and houses were demolished belonging to the Matua (Hindu) Minority Community in Bangladesh’s Khulna district, Vill- Shiyali, Subdivision- Rupsa…”
“..People belonging to the Hindu Community are in jeopardy. Their assets, shelter and properties are being looted by anti–social elements, particularly serious situation of discrimination where a campaign or programme is initiated to destroy, intimidate and punish a group because of its religious of moral beliefs…” Thakur wrote.
He also stated that there is a “consistent pattern” of gross violations of the right to freedom of religion in some places in Bangladesh… “Which includes violations of the right to life, personal integrity and liberty of Minority (Hindu) in Bnagladesh”.
Thakur appealed to the Prime minister to look into the matter and “instruct the concerned department” to safeguard the “Right of Minority Community (Matua/Hindu) through multi dimensional perspective”.
Thakur is also a leader of the All India Matua Mahasangha, a religious and cultural organisation of the community. Through social media, Thakur had also shared images of the attack in Bangladesh.
Matuas belong to the Namasudra community that migrated to India in droves during the Partition and after the Bangladesh war of 1971.
