The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) expressed its solidarity with Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, who was recently arrested in Bangladesh on charges of sedition. This statement of support comes a day after ISKCON Bangladesh distanced itself from the monk, asserting that his actions did not align with the values of the organization. 

Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, General Secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, confirmed that the monk had been removed from all official positions due to a violation of discipline, as reported by The Dhaka Tribune. However, ISKCON has expressed solidarity with the Hindu priest. 

ALSO READ: Sheikh Hasina Demands Release Of Chinmoy Das, Warns Yunus Govt Of 'Consequences If Justice Is Not Served'

ISKCON emphasized that while Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu was not an official member of the organization, it did not seek to distance itself from him. "ISKCON has not, and does not distance itself from supporting Chinmoy Krishna Das's rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship," the group said. 

"We have only clarified, something that was already said by us in the past many months, regarding him not officially representing ISKCON in Bangladesh," the statement further said. 

ISKCON’s Previous Stance On Chinmoy Krishna Das

Earlier, ISKCON issued a statement regarding Chinmoy Krishna Das amid calls in Bangladesh to ban the organization, which has been labelled as a "radical group" allegedly involved in activities that could incite communal unrest. In response to these claims, a legal petition was filed by a lawyer against ISKCON.

ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee Reacts To ISKCON Priest Chinmoy Das’ Arrest In Bangladesh, Says ‘We Stand With Centre’

Following this, Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, the general secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh, said Chinmoy Das had been removed from all positions of the organisation.

Bangladesh HC Rejects Plea Seeking Ban On ISKCON

The Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition to ban the activities of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the country. 

Following this, ISKCON expressed relief and its spokesperson Radharamn Das told news agency PTI that it was a "great relief." He also mentioned that the organization had been deeply concerned about the position taken by the Bangladesh government in the case. 

Meanwhile, a group consisting of retired judges, bureaucrats, and a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting his intervention to tackle the escalating violence and discrimination faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.