International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Boston with PUJA UDJAPAN PARISAD and UTSHAB held a peaceful march (Kirtan Protest) on Saturday October 23, 2021in Copley Square, Boston, MA to condemn the attack on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. An ISKCON temple in Noakhali city in Bangladesh was vandalized and a devotee was killed by a mob on October 16. Hundreds of people gathered and sang Krishna bhajans holding Posters reading ‘Justice for Bangladesh Minorities’, ‘Protect Bangladeshi Hindus’, ‘Stop Violence Against Hindus’, and ‘Protect Our Temples in Bangladesh’ and many more appeals.   

Other well-known organization’s [(Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHPA)/World Hindu Council of America (WHCA), Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Federation of Indian Association (FIA), Indo-American Community (IAC), Puja Udjapan Parisad (PUP), Utsab] and temple’s presidents and their active members joined ISKCON, Boston’s Prayer Meeting (Vigil) and expressed their support in solidarity with ISKCON, other Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh.

This ‘Prayer Protest’ in Boston was a part of a worldwide protest organized by ISKCON’s 700 temples across 150 nations on Saturday.  Vanamali Pandit Dasa, President, ISKCON Boston said, “We express our pain and anguish on the attacks on the ISKCON devotees, Hindus, and other minorities in Bangladesh. We support them in every way and pray for their safety and security.”

Speakers at the event said that they stand in unity with the victims of the attacks in Bangladesh and called for security and justice for the Hindus residing in the nation. Robin Das from Puja Udjapan Parisad said, ‘We want to see some strict actions by the government and the perpetrators of the crime should be punished and make sure that such offences are not committed in the future."

Young adult voices were also raised at the event, and they sincerely urged the government in Bangladesh to bring trust in the local community to live in harmony.  Right to live in peace with human dignity is a basic right of everyone in the world.

‘Our prayers are being sung as part of the protest’ said ISKCON devotee Gagan Mata ji. While prayers were going on, the silent protesters were simply holding placards. Later, all the singers and protesters with their posters went around in circles.

Vanamali Dasa thanked all the devotees, attendees, and various organizations’ leaders for joining them in their peace protest. He thanked Kaushik Patel and Brij Garg (VHPA), Vikas Deshpande (HSS), Abhishek Singh, and Sanjay Gokhale (FIA), Deepak Sharma and Ananda Sharma (IAC), Pankaj Adaval (Radha Krishna Mandir, Northborough), Bishawjit Saha, Pankaj Das (Hindu, Buddhist Christian Unity Council of New England), Samapti (Utsab), Suhas Baruya and Amal Das (Puja Udjapan Parisad), Sanjay and Sangeetha Saxena (Gayatri Parivar). He also thanked all the singers and musicians, technical support team and temple priests for their selfless services and kind support in every event of the temple.

The event was concluded by singing ‘Harinam Sankirtan' or congregational chanting in front of Lod Krishan and Ma Radha and prayed for their blessing for peace and prosperity in the world.