The Evening Wrap: One dead as Bangladeshi Hindus protest denial of bail to ISKCON leader

Bangladeshi supporters of an arrested Hindu leader clashed with security forces on Tuesday after the outspoken monk was denied bail on sedition charges, with one person killed, police said. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesman of a newly-formed Hindu group leading protests calling for the protection of the minority, was arrested on Monday afternoon. Religious relations have been turbulent in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution forced long-time autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to neighbouring India. Brahmachari, of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group, was arrested as he travelled from Dhaka to Chittagong on Monday. On Tuesday, supporters angry that bail was denied, surrounded the prison van carrying him away from court in Chittagong. Others hurled rocks. Security forces lobbed stun grenades and launched baton charges to break the crowd, and Brahmachari was eventually taken to prison in a police pickup truck. Nurul Alam, a police inspector posted at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said a public prosecutor had been killed, identifying him as Saiful Islam Alif, a Muslim. “He had deep injuries on his head”, said hospital director Taslim Uddin. In the immediate chaotic days following Hasina’s ouster, there was a string of reprisals on Hindus — seen by some as disproportionate supporters of her regime — as well as attacks on Muslim Sufi shrines by Islamist hardliners. Islamist groups have been emboldened to take to the streets after years of being suppressed, and Hindu groups have rallied in counter-demonstrations. Hindus are the largest minority faith in Bangladesh, accounting for around eight percent of the population. The Foreign Ministry in neighbouring Hindu-majority India said they had “noted with deep concern” the arrest of Brahmachari. “This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”, New Delhi said in a statement. Ties between Dhaka and New Delhi have frayed, not least by India’s hosting of their old ally Hasina — wanted in Bangladesh to face charges of alleged crimes against humanity. Hasina’s 15-year tenure saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents. Eknath Shinde resigns, appointed as Maharashtra caretaker CM, but successor still uncertain Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accompanied by his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday submitted his resignation to Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan, as the term of the current State Assembly came to an end. The identity of Shinde’s successor is still uncertain, though Shiv Sena leaders said a final decision is expected by Wednesday morning after consultations with the Prime Minister and Home Minister in Delhi. The Governor accepted Shinde’s resignation and asked that he serve as caretaker Chief Minister until a new Cabinet was sworn in. The impasse over selecting Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with uncertainty lingering over whether Shinde would retain his position or whether the BJP’s Fadnavis would assume the role. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said that clarity on the CM decision is expected by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The prolonged decision-making process has fuelled speculation about potential power-sharing agreements among the alliance partners. While Shinde’s supporters argue that he deserves another term as Chief Minister, sections within the BJP are pushing for Fadnavis to take charge. Pawar’s NCP is reportedly lobbying for key Cabinet portfolios. A significant factor in the ongoing discussions is the Maratha community’s demand for a Chief Minister from their ranks. Shiv Sena leader Sheetal Mhatre said that Shinde, being a Maratha leader, is the community’s preferred choice. Indian Constitution is a living document, says President Murmu Indian Constitution is a progressive document, and it is the responsibility of the executive, legislature and the judiciary to work together to better the lives of common people in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution, President Droupadi Murmu said on Tuesday at an event to commemorate 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution. Speaking at the same event, held at the historic Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan [old Parliament building], Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar made a veiled attack on the Opposition. Invoking Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, he said the country’s “independence will be put in jeopardy a second time” if parties placed creed above country. Stressing on the separation of powers between the three organs of the state — executive, legislature and the judiciary — Dhankhar said democracy functions best when the Constitutional institutions work in tandem, adhering to their “jurisdictional area”. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to follow the tradition of constructive and dignified debates, set by the Constituent Assembly, in both Houses of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh; Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge; Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi; Leader of the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were seated on the dais. Addressing a special event on the occasion of 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, President Murmu said the fundamental duties of every citizen had been clearly defined, laying stress on the nation’s unity and integrity, promoting harmony in society, ensuring the dignity of women, protecting the environment, developing a scientific temper and safeguarding public property among others. The President also released a commemorative coin on the occasion and led in reading out the Preamble to the Constitution. Hailing the Constitution as a “living document,” Murmu said framers of the Constitution were far-sighted to provide for a system that could adopt new ideas, reflecting the needs of changing times. The President said the Constitution was the outcome of nearly three years of deliberations by some of the greatest minds, but, in the true sense, it was the outcome of the long freedom struggle. Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots, says ‘EVMs are fine if you win and tampered if you lose’ The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated a level of hypocrisy attached to criticism about Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), saying “EVMs are tampered when you lose and fine if you win”. The oral remark was made by Justice Vikram Nath before dismissing a petition filed by evangelist K.A. Paul, who sought a judicial order to return to paper ballots. Justice Nath, during the hearing, asked Paul whether he wanted to turn the court into a political arena. Paul said he was not playing any politics in court. He said his visits abroad to various countries revealed that the paper ballot system was being followed in democracies across the world. He drew attention to the fact that the court was hearing his petition on Constitution Day. The evangelist, appearing in person, said the Election Commission of India must be directed to disqualify candidates found distributing largesse, money, liquor during elections for at least five years. Paul said corruption amounted to violation of fundamental rights to equality, due process of law and free speech and expression. In April 2024, the Supreme Court had, in a judgment, upheld the EVM system of polling while refusing to revive paper ballots. “The weakness of the ballot paper system is well known and documented. Keeping in view the vast size of the Indian electorate of nearly 97 crore, the number of candidates who contest the elections, the number of polling booths where voting is held, and the problems faced with ballot papers, we would be undoing the electoral reforms by directing reintroduction of the ballot papers. EVMs offer significant advantages,” the Supreme Court had reasoned in its verdict. The court had observed that “blind distrust” of an institution or a system bred unwarranted scepticism and impeded progress. In September 2023, the Election Commission of India had assured the apex court EVMs could neither be hacked nor tampered. In a 450-page affidavit, the top poll body had stated that EVMs were “totally stand-alone machines having one-time programmable chips”. The Bench dismissed Paul’s petition. Supreme Court urged to take suo moto action over Sambhal violence Against the backdrop of arson and killing of five young men in violence during a court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, the Supreme Court has been urged “to take suo moto cognisance” of the incident that happened in the western Uttar Pradesh town. In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind leader Mahmood Madani sought “immediate judicial intervention” to “safeguard peace and harmony”. Madani wrote to the Chief Justice, stating, “I write to you in my capacity as president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, deeply concerned by the escalating communal tensions and breach of public peace resulting from activities purportedly conducted under the guise of ‘surveys’. These actions have created an environment of mistrust and unrest.” He questioned the alleged continued short shrift given by lower-level judiciary to the Places of Worship Act, saying, “The Places of Worship Act 1991 was enacted with the intent of preventing conflict over places of worship. However, recent developments, particularly the Supreme Court’s ruling that surveys do not fall under the prohibitions envisaged in the Act, have inadvertently led to situations like in Sambhal. These surveys are being weaponised to foster discord.” Madani urged the Supreme Court to “take suo moto cognisance of this menace and prevent escalation”, adding, “The current trajectory risks undermining public order and could result in widespread violence.” The Jamiat leader requested the Chief Justice for “immediate intervention to ensure that the rule of law prevails”. “Proactive judicial intervention at this juncture will serve as a vital safeguard against the brewing communal tensions and reaffirm faith in the judiciary as the custodian of justice and social harmony,” he said. Earlier, a Jamiat delegation met community leaders and government officials in Sambhal to help bring back peace in the town. They met the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate to protest against “excessive use of force” by the police and “arbitrary arrests of innocent individuals”. They sought immediate action against Vishnu Shanker Jain, advocate in the Jama Masjid matter for his alleged provocative slogans which gave rise to violence in the area. NIA begins probe into three Manipur violence cases The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has launched an investigation into three cases of violence in Manipur, including the abduction and killing of six women and children from the State’s Jiribam district on November 11. The anti-terror agency re-registered three cases afresh on November 13 after the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to hand over the cases to it considering the gravity of the offences amid escalating violence in the strife-torn State. “The objective is to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the brutal attacks,” an NIA spokesperson said on Tuesday. In the first case, several houses were burnt and two civilians were killed in Borobekra area of Manipur’s Jiribam district on November 11. Later, unidentified gunmen abducted three Meitei women and three children, whose bodies were later found floating in a river along the Assam-Manipur border. On the day, armed extremists fired at the Borobekra police station and some houses and shops at Jakuradhor Karong nearby. The houses and shops were later set ablaze. The police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel stationed at the Borobekra police station retaliated. Subsequent search operations led to the recovery of two bodies inside the burnt houses, a statement issued by the NIA said. The second case is connected to the November 11 attack on a CRPF post at Jakuradhor Karong and the Borobekra police station, leading to a gunfight. A CRPF constable sustained bullet injuries while 10 bodies of unidentified assailants were recovered. The third case is related to the killing of a woman from Jiribam district’s Zairawn village on November 7. She was reportedly raped and burnt alive by armed extremists. The cases, originally registered at the Jiribam police station, were re-registered by the NIA under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Arms Act, 1959. The NIA team visited the spots on November 21 and 22 and started the probe, the spokesperson said. In Brief: Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh drew the second game against China’s Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship, in Singapore on Tuesday. Gukesh with black pieces drew the match after losing the first match. Ding Liren leads the world championship match 1.5-0.5. [logo] The Evening Wrap 26 November 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( One dead as Bangladeshi Hindus protest denial of bail to ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari [Bangladeshi supporters of an arrested Hindu leader clashed]( with security forces on Tuesday after the outspoken monk was denied bail on sedition charges, with one person killed, police said. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesman of a newly-formed Hindu group leading protests calling for the protection of the minority, was arrested on Monday afternoon. Religious relations have been turbulent in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution forced long-time autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to neighbouring India. Brahmachari, of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group, was arrested as he travelled from Dhaka to Chittagong on Monday. On Tuesday, supporters angry that bail was denied, surrounded the prison van carrying him away from court in Chittagong. Others hurled rocks. Security forces lobbed stun grenades and launched baton charges to break the crowd, and Brahmachari was eventually taken to prison in a police pickup truck. Nurul Alam, a police inspector posted at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said a public prosecutor had been killed, identifying him as Saiful Islam Alif, a Muslim. “He had deep injuries on his head”, said hospital director Taslim Uddin. In the immediate chaotic days following Hasina’s ouster, there was a string of reprisals on Hindus — seen by some as disproportionate supporters of her regime — as well as attacks on Muslim Sufi shrines by Islamist hardliners. Islamist groups have been emboldened to take to the streets after years of being suppressed, and Hindu groups have rallied in counter-demonstrations. Hindus are the largest minority faith in Bangladesh, accounting for around eight percent of the population. The Foreign Ministry in neighbouring Hindu-majority India said they had “noted with deep concern” the arrest of Brahmachari. “This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”, New Delhi said in a statement. Ties between Dhaka and New Delhi have frayed, not least by India’s hosting of their old ally Hasina — wanted in Bangladesh to face charges of alleged crimes against humanity. Hasina’s 15-year tenure saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killings of her political opponents. Eknath Shinde resigns, appointed as Maharashtra caretaker CM, but successor still uncertain Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accompanied by his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday [submitted his resignation]( to Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan, as the term of the current State Assembly came to an end. The identity of Shinde’s successor is still uncertain, though Shiv Sena leaders said a final decision is expected by Wednesday morning after consultations with the Prime Minister and Home Minister in Delhi. The Governor accepted Shinde’s resignation and asked that he serve as caretaker Chief Minister until a new Cabinet was sworn in. The impasse over selecting Maharashtra’s next Chief Minister continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, with uncertainty lingering over whether Shinde would retain his position or whether the BJP’s Fadnavis would assume the role. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said that clarity on the CM decision is expected by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The prolonged decision-making process has fuelled speculation about potential power-sharing agreements among the alliance partners. While Shinde’s supporters argue that he deserves another term as Chief Minister, sections within the BJP are pushing for Fadnavis to take charge. Pawar’s NCP is reportedly lobbying for key Cabinet portfolios. A significant factor in the ongoing discussions is the Maratha community’s demand for a Chief Minister from their ranks. Shiv Sena leader Sheetal Mhatre said that Shinde, being a Maratha leader, is the community’s preferred choice. Indian Constitution is a living document, says President Murmu Indian Constitution is a progressive document, and it is the responsibility of the executive, legislature and the judiciary to work together to better the lives of common people in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution, [President Droupadi Murmu said]( on Tuesday at an event to commemorate 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution. Speaking at the same event, held at the historic Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan [old Parliament building], Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar made a veiled attack on the Opposition. Invoking Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, he said the country’s “independence will be put in jeopardy a second time” if parties placed creed above country. Stressing on the separation of powers between the three organs of the state — executive, legislature and the judiciary — Dhankhar said democracy functions best when the Constitutional institutions work in tandem, adhering to their “jurisdictional area”. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to follow the tradition of constructive and dignified debates, set by the Constituent Assembly, in both Houses of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh; Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge; Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi; Leader of the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were seated on the dais. Addressing a special event on the occasion of 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, President Murmu said the fundamental duties of every citizen had been clearly defined, laying stress on the nation’s unity and integrity, promoting harmony in society, ensuring the dignity of women, protecting the environment, developing a scientific temper and safeguarding public property among others. The President also released a commemorative coin on the occasion and led in reading out the Preamble to the Constitution. Hailing the Constitution as a “living document,” Murmu said framers of the Constitution were far-sighted to provide for a system that could adopt new ideas, reflecting the needs of changing times. The President said the Constitution was the outcome of nearly three years of deliberations by some of the greatest minds, but, in the true sense, it was the outcome of the long freedom struggle. Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots, says ‘EVMs are fine if you win and tampered if you lose’ The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated a level of hypocrisy attached to [criticism about Electronic Voting Machines]( (EVM), saying “EVMs are tampered when you lose and fine if you win”. The oral remark was made by Justice Vikram Nath before dismissing a petition filed by evangelist K.A. Paul, who sought a judicial order to return to paper ballots. Justice Nath, during the hearing, asked Paul whether he wanted to turn the court into a political arena. Paul said he was not playing any politics in court. He said his visits abroad to various countries revealed that the paper ballot system was being followed in democracies across the world. He drew attention to the fact that the court was hearing his petition on Constitution Day. The evangelist, appearing in person, said the Election Commission of India must be directed to disqualify candidates found distributing largesse, money, liquor during elections for at least five years. Paul said corruption amounted to violation of fundamental rights to equality, due process of law and free speech and expression. In April 2024, the Supreme Court had, in a judgment, upheld the EVM system of polling while refusing to revive paper ballots. “The weakness of the ballot paper system is well known and documented. Keeping in view the vast size of the Indian electorate of nearly 97 crore, the number of candidates who contest the elections, the number of polling booths where voting is held, and the problems faced with ballot papers, we would be undoing the electoral reforms by directing reintroduction of the ballot papers. EVMs offer significant advantages,” the Supreme Court had reasoned in its verdict. The court had observed that “blind distrust” of an institution or a system bred unwarranted scepticism and impeded progress. In September 2023, the Election Commission of India had assured the apex court EVMs could neither be hacked nor tampered. In a 450-page affidavit, the top poll body had stated that EVMs were “totally stand-alone machines having one-time programmable chips”. The Bench dismissed Paul’s petition. Supreme Court urged to take suo moto action over Sambhal violence Against the backdrop of arson and killing of five young men in violence during a court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, the [Supreme Court has been urged “to take suo moto cognisance”]( of the incident that happened in the western Uttar Pradesh town. In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind leader Mahmood Madani sought “immediate judicial intervention” to “safeguard peace and harmony”. Madani wrote to the Chief Justice, stating, “I write to you in my capacity as president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, deeply concerned by the escalating communal tensions and breach of public peace resulting from activities purportedly conducted under the guise of ‘surveys’. These actions have created an environment of mistrust and unrest.” He questioned the alleged continued short shrift given by lower-level judiciary to the Places of Worship Act, saying, “The Places of Worship Act 1991 was enacted with the intent of preventing conflict over places of worship. However, recent developments, particularly the Supreme Court’s ruling that surveys do not fall under the prohibitions envisaged in the Act, have inadvertently led to situations like in Sambhal. These surveys are being weaponised to foster discord.” Madani urged the Supreme Court to “take suo moto cognisance of this menace and prevent escalation”, adding, “The current trajectory risks undermining public order and could result in widespread violence.” The Jamiat leader requested the Chief Justice for “immediate intervention to ensure that the rule of law prevails”. “Proactive judicial intervention at this juncture will serve as a vital safeguard against the brewing communal tensions and reaffirm faith in the judiciary as the custodian of justice and social harmony,” he said. Earlier, a Jamiat delegation met community leaders and government officials in Sambhal to help bring back peace in the town. They met the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate to protest against “excessive use of force” by the police and “arbitrary arrests of innocent individuals”. They sought immediate action against Vishnu Shanker Jain, advocate in the Jama Masjid matter for his alleged provocative slogans which gave rise to violence in the area. NIA begins probe into three Manipur violence cases The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has [launched an investigation into three cases of violence in Manipur]( including the abduction and killing of six women and children from the State’s Jiribam district on November 11. The anti-terror agency re-registered three cases afresh on November 13 after the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to hand over the cases to it considering the gravity of the offences amid escalating violence in the strife-torn State. “The objective is to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the brutal attacks,” an NIA spokesperson said on Tuesday. In the first case, several houses were burnt and two civilians were killed in Borobekra area of Manipur’s Jiribam district on November 11. Later, unidentified gunmen abducted three Meitei women and three children, whose bodies were later found floating in a river along the Assam-Manipur border. On the day, armed extremists fired at the Borobekra police station and some houses and shops at Jakuradhor Karong nearby. The houses and shops were later set ablaze. The police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel stationed at the Borobekra police station retaliated. Subsequent search operations led to the recovery of two bodies inside the burnt houses, a statement issued by the NIA said. The second case is connected to the November 11 attack on a CRPF post at Jakuradhor Karong and the Borobekra police station, leading to a gunfight. A CRPF constable sustained bullet injuries while 10 bodies of unidentified assailants were recovered. The third case is related to the killing of a woman from Jiribam district’s Zairawn village on November 7. She was reportedly raped and burnt alive by armed extremists. The cases, originally registered at the Jiribam police station, were re-registered by the NIA under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Arms Act, 1959. The NIA team visited the spots on November 21 and 22 and started the probe, the spokesperson said. In Brief: Indian Grandmaster [D. Gukesh drew the second game against China’s Ding Liren]( in the World Chess Championship, in Singapore on Tuesday. Gukesh with black pieces drew the match after losing the first match. Ding Liren leads the world championship match 1.5-0.5. 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