Bangladesh
ISKCON ISKCON demands government holiday on day of Rath Yatra
Dhaka, June 17: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has made a 10-point demand, including declaring the Rath Yatra day of Asadha, a festival of Hindus, a public holiday. Leaders of various Rath Yatra celebration committees of Chittagong raised this demand in a press conference organized in the premises of Sri Krishna Temple, the ISKCON promoter of Chittagong city on Saturday morning.
The demands are:-
Declared public holiday on Rath Yatra day,
Strict laws to stop communal attacks and speedy trial by tribunals,
Protection of divine property,
Construction of spectacular temples centrally in each upazila with government grants,
Preservation of traditional places of pilgrimage and protection of their properties,
The government's initiative in rebuilding and renovating various monasteries and temples affected by communal attacks,
Stop the conspiracy against Sri Sri Pundarik Dham and protect the property of the Dham.
Providing security to ethnic minorities in the upcoming national elections,
Stop conspiracies against ethnic minorities on social media and other digital forms and take legal action against them,
Not to take any rash decision on Hindu family law and take any decision in consultation with Hindu leaders and saints.
Organizers said that one lakh people will gather in this year's Rath Yatra.
Prof. Pranab Mitra Chowdhury, Architect Pranab Mitra Chowdhury, Dr. Manoj Chowdhury, Central Rath Yatra Celebration Committee President Ranjan Prasad Dasgupta, General Secretary Shyam Dash Dhar, Finance Secretary Bidhan Dhar, Organizers gave a directive speech to make Rath Yatra a success in the meeting chaired by Advocate Sujan Kanti Dey. Editor Banshiram Dey, Executive Committee Officers Vijayalakshmi Chowdhury, Rikta Dutta, Pradeep Das, Harishankar Dhar, Sonaram Dhar, Hiranmay Dhar, Sagar Biswas, Swapan Dhar, Chandranath Pal, Jaharlal Dutt, Sudhanshu Ranjan Das, Tapan Dhar (TK), Ashutosh Dev, Varun Hazari, Rupan Dhar, Chandan Pal, Shibu Prasad Dhar, Sajal Chowdhury, Pranab Saha, Rupan Kumar Dey, Sajal Dhar, Lakshmipada Das, Bishnupada Das, Ashish Mitra, Roni Saha, Uttam Das, Sujit Hazari, S Prakash Pal, Dr Bibaran Das, Prabir Das etc.
Rath Yatra will start from Pravartak Mor on Tuesday 20th June at 3 pm and will end at the mouth of Hazari Gully. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr. Hasan Mahmud was present as the chief guest, Deputy Minister of Education Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel as the auspicious inauguator of the Rath Yatra, City Mayor Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, former City Mayor AJM Nashir Uddin and other guests will be present as special guests. It was informed in the press conference.
