S Jaishankar, External affairs minister today said that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government is responsible for protecting Bangladesh citizens, including its minorities. He made this statement in response to a question in the Lok Sabha about violence against minorities, including Hindus, in Bangladesh.

The External Affairs Minister said that the government has seen several reports of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities since August 2024, when Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee Bangladesh. He further added that reports of attacks on temples and puja mandaps also emerged during the recent Durga Puja festival in Bangladesh.

Furthermore, S Jaishankar asserted that the government has taken a serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh. He also said that the High Commission of India in Dhaka continues to supervise the situation related to the minorities in Bangladesh closely. He underlined that the primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh.

This statement comes amid protests and unrest in Bangladesh over the arrest of former priest of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Bangladesh, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, on sedition charges. The Hindu monk is accused of hoisting a saffron flag above the Bangladesh national flag during a rally in October.

Many political leaders in India have voiced concern over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das and issued an appeal to the Narendra Modi-led central government to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also backed the arrested Hindu monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, saying that he was unjustly arrested and must immediately be released. She has also called upon the Bangladesh government to protect religious and ethnic minorities that have braved violence since her ouster from power in August.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed a Sambhal trial court to temporarily halt proceedings in the case over the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid and its survey at Chandausi. It also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain peace and harmony in the violence-hit town.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also instructed the local administration to take all the necessary measures to ensure peace and harmony in the region.

The Apex Court was hearing a petition filed by the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid Committee against a trial court direction allowing a survey of the Mosque to verify whether it was built on the ruins of a temple.

While the court clarified that it is not making any observations on the merits of the dispute, it has opted to keep the mosque committee’s petition in abeyance. The further hearing on the matter has been listed for January 6 next year. 

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member committee to look into the matter and submit its report in the next two months. The three-member committee is headed by former Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora, while the other two members are former IPS officers Amit Mohan Prasad and Arvind Kumar Jain.

“We will abide by the orders of the honourable Supreme Court. We will maintain law and order in Sambhal. Orders have been given for a judicial investigation. We will take strict against all the culprits after an impartial probe,” said Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak on the Apex Court order.

Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman, speaking on the matter, said: “Our demand is that the commission to be constituted should be under the supervision of sitting judges of the Supreme Court and High Court. Only then can we hope for an honest investigation.”

“Death of four and injuries to several people is a serious issue. I welcome the decision of the Supreme Court. It has directed that no steps will be taken without the High Court. In a way, it has said that the lower court does not have any jurisdiction,” said Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on the Supreme Court order.

During the Friday prayer at the Masjid, UP Police kept a tight vigil using drones as people started to arrive at Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid.

“Today, the Supreme Court has delivered a very significant interim order. There are three to four key points: the SC has directed the district administration to ensure peace and harmony in Sambhal. It has stayed proceedings in the suit pending before the civil judge in Sambhal until the Jama Masjid committee approaches the High Court, and the High Court decides on the challenge to the original interim order,” said Sulaiman Khan, advocate for the Muslim side.

“Today, a petition was filed before the Supreme Court. The court first emphasised maintaining peace and harmony in the area. Subsequently, the SC granted the mosque committee, which had filed the SLP, the liberty to challenge the order in the High Court. It also directed that if the petition is filed within three days, it should be listed promptly in the High Court,” said Vishnu Jain, advocate for the Hindu side.

The Hindu pursuers have claimed that the mosque was established by Mughal emperor Babar in 1526 following the demolition of a structure known as the “Harihar Temple.” On November 24, an outbreak of violence occurred in Sambhal during the execution of a survey, resulting in the fatalities of four individuals and injuries to numerous others, including police personnel.

A crucial meeting of the Mahayuti alliance regarding the formation of new Maharashtra government has been called off after caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unexpectedly left for his village in Satara district. 

Earlier on Thursday, Eknath Shinde along with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi. The meeting focussed on hashing out a power-sharing pact following the BJP-led coalition’s sweeping victory in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. 

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Friday said that he had good and positive discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J P Nadda on the issue of government formation in the state. Speaking to the media, he said that the decision on the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be taken in a day or two in another meeting of Mahayuti coalition in the state capital.

The Shiv Sena leader further said that he would not be an obstacle in the government formation in the state and abide by the decision taken by PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. However, Eknath Shinde’s sudden departure brought discussions to a halt, further strengthening suspense over who will helm the incoming government and ministerial berth allocations. Reports stated that the Shiv Sena leader is expected to return to Mumbai on Saturday. 

The BJP, which won 132 seats in the assembly election, is yet to chair its legislature party meeting to finalise its chief ministerial candidate, but the top post is widely expected to go to Devendra Fadnavis. The Mahayuti allies Shiv Sena, with 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 41, are reportedly focusing on securing plum cabinet berths instead, as their chances of claiming the chief minister’s post appear slim.

Reports said that the new government may adopt a power-sharing arrangement featuring two deputy chief ministers to represent Mahayuti’s three major constituents. Meanwhile, for cabinet berths, the BJP is looking to accommodate around 20 ministers, with the Sena expected to receive a larger share than the NCP.