Hefazat not against Hindus, ISKCON, says organisation leader after clashes in Bangladesh

Dhaka [Bangladesh], November 16 (ANI): Following a reported clash between the Hindu community and the law enforcement forces that took place in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong, a Hefazat-e-Islam leader on Friday said that they were not against Hindus and ISKCON and noted that some ISKCON members attacked a Muslim shopkeeper in Chittagong under a plot to implement the previous Awami League government agenda by destroying religious harmony.
"No protest was made centrally against ISKCON by Hefazat-e-Islam. A Muslim shopkeeper was brutally attacked by ISKCON members in Chittagong. His shop was vandalized. Various slogans inciting Muslims have been addressed. If Muslims are excited by these slogans, a big conflict will arise between Muslims and Hindus. Hefazat-e-Islam has taken the responsibility to prevent the Muslims from getting excited and provide securities to the Hindus and demanded punishment for the culprits. Hefazat did not throw any program against ISKCON or Hindus," said Azizul Hoque Islamabadi, Joint Secretary of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.
Following the attack that criticised the Hindu organisation, ISKCON denied the allegation, terming it "spreading of misleading information regarding their organization in various ways in the wake of untoward incidents such as the attacks and vandalism" in the Hazari Goly area of Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. Hefazat organized a rally in Chittagong recently demanding the punishment of the culprits.
"We observe that some brothers of ISKCON are plotting to destroy harmony to implement the agenda of the previous fascist government. Those who attacked the Muslim brothers in Chittagong and made various provocative statements are plotting to destroy harmony. We request everyone not to try to destroy the situation prevailing in the country and not fall into the trap," Islamabadi exclusively told ANI.
"We did not demand to ban ISKCON," he said, rejecting the media reports.
Earlier on November 5, a local Muslim shopkeeper named Osman Ali reportedly uploaded a post on Facebook criticizing ISKCON and demanded the banning of the international religious organization. Following this remarks, a clash between the Hindu community and the law enforcement forces took place in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong. Due to this, the joint forces of police and army conducted an operation there and arrested nearly 80 people.
Hefazat-e-Islam is a religious organization based in Hathajari in the southern Chittagong region of Bangladesh. The organization has millions of followers all over Bangladesh, especially in the madrasas, the religious schools. Despite Hathajari Darul Uloom being the headquarters, most of the Hefazat senior leaders learned spiritual lessons from Darul Uloom Deoband, an Islamic school in India.
Azizul Hoque Islamabadi, an influential Hefazat leader, using the Islamabad title does not mean that he is from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Rather, he is a resident of Chittagong whose original name was Islamabad.
"Hefazat-e-Islam is a larger non-political religious organization. The duty of Hefazat is to preserve the religious rights and values of every citizen of Bangladesh and to convince the people of the country, especially the Muslim community, to follow civilization and culture and ethics to practise spirituality. Hefazat-e-Islam, as a non-political organisation, demands the rights of not only Muslims but also Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Chakma, Marma, etc.," Islamabadi said.
"For the past 150 years, adjacent to the traditional Hathajari Darul Uloom Madrasa, the central office of Hefazat-e-Islam, there has been a Hindu temple on the other side of the five-inch wall. We do not know that such a harmony, amicable coexistence, exists anywhere in the world. Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and workers always ensure religious freedom and security for Hindus. Our leaders and workers guarded the temples and houses of the Hindu brothers during the last July revolution. So we believe in coexistence; we believe in religious freedom for everyone. We want to set an example in the world through coexistence," he added.
The Hefazat leader said that the leaders of their organization have a deep connection with the people of India. But they were shocked that the government of India was helping the ousted Sheikh Hasina's government in misdeeds. That's why they were criticizing India, he explained.
"The main centre of Hefazat-e-Islam is Darul Uloom Deoband in India. Most of the scholars of Hefazat are either came after taking titles from or followers of Darul Uloom Deoband. Our relation with Hindustan is like the relation of intestines with mother. But the current government of Hindustan has given patronage to the former fascist Awami League government of our country. Due to Hindustan's cooperation, the Awami League government has the courage to practise tyranny, torture, and oppression in Bangladesh. On this point of view, we have made statements against the present government of Hindustan at various times. If Hindustan considers the people of Bangladesh as friends, then the government of Hindustan needs to understand what the people of this country want. If friendship can be established in that way, there will be no tension in India's relationship with Bangladesh," he said.
"Attacks on Hindus or minorities in Bangladesh have never been done by the country's Islamic scholarly community or religious people. Attacks on minorities were politically motivated or due to political conflict or to achieve any objective. I challenge you: no one can prove that any Islamic scholar, religious person, or madrassa has occupied any land of Hindus. The people of the previous fascist government, which Hindus consider their place of trust, occupied the land of most Hindus. Their houses are being occupied. Hindus were forced to flee from this country due to their occupying," he added.
"Islam is a religion of peace. The message of Islam is peace, security, and equal rights for human beings. Justice is the principle of Islam. Persecution of minorities and other religions is strictly forbidden in Islam. We are their brothers. We want to remain their brothers and sisters. We call upon all to ensure that harmony is not destroyed under any circumstances," he said.
On August 5, a student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Following this, Hasina came to India, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed. (ANI)