Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Shillong on Friday to condemn the escalating violence against minority communities in Bangladesh. The unrest included the destruction of the bust of U Tirot Sing, a prominent Khasi freedom fighter, by rioters in Dhaka. The rioters also targeted the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), setting parts of it ablaze and defacing the memorial of U Tirot Sing at its entrance.
Protesters held placards with messages like “Hero of the Nation: Bangladesh Unrest, Bust of Tirot Sing Destroyed,” “Protect Religious Minorities of Bangladesh,” “Save Temples, Churches, and Religious Heritage in Bangladesh,” and “Defend Women and Girls Belonging to Minority Communities in Bangladesh.”
The rally, organized by the All Meghalaya Citizen Conscious Forum, began at Mawbah Point and concluded at Rhino Point. Demonstrators expressed their outrage at the ongoing violence targeting Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Christians in Bangladesh. The forum announced that a memorandum would be submitted to the interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh via the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, demanding swift action to stop the violence.
Raju Paul, convenor of the forum, announced that a memorandum would be submitted to the interim Prime Minister of Bangladesh through the DC East Khasi Hills, outlining their demands for an end to the violence.
“Ever since the change of regime which took place in August in Bangladesh, we have seen many brutal violence taking place against the minorities which includes our tribal brothers who are there, which includes our Christian brothers, which includes our Hindu brothers and also the Buddhist community that are there. They are facing brutal violence by the extremists,” Paul said.
The protestors, chanting patriotic slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” expressed their unwavering solidarity with the affected minority communities. Organizers condemned the violence as an affront to humanity and stressed the urgency of implementing measures to protect vulnerable groups.
The unrest in Bangladesh, which initially began with student protests against an inequitable quota system, has escalated due to economic instability and rising unemployment. The resulting violence has inflicted significant harm on religious minorities and their cultural heritage sites.