Former US Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard raises concerns about Hindus in Bangladesh
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Washington, Apr 3: The former US Presidential candidate, Tulsi Gabbard, has raised concerns about the situation of Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh. Gabbard on Apr 2, recalled how the Pakistani army systematically murdered, raped and drove millions of Bengali Hindus, from their homes in 1971 because of their religion and ethnicity.
Gabbard took it to twitter and said, "The height of this persecution began 50 years ago, when the Pakistani army systematically murdered, raped and drove from their homes, millions of Bengali Hindus because of their religion and ethnicity. Mar 25, 1971 was the beginning of the systematic targeting of Hindus in Bangladesh by the Pakistani military."
She further added that "It began in Hindu neighborhoods and villages, first at Jagannath Hall, which was a Hindu dormitory in Dhaka University, where 5,000 to 10,000 people were killed on that first night alone. This genocidal campaign continued for 10 months, resulting in two to three million people killed." Tulsi also recalled how hundreds of thousands of women and girls raped and more than 10 million forced to flee their homes in 1971.
Gabbard quoted US Senator Ted Kennedy, who went to visit the Bangladeshi refugees at that time and said, "nothing is more clear or more easily documented than the systematic campaign of terror and its genocidal consequences launched by the Pakistan army on the night of Mar 25. Hardest hit have been the members of the Hindu community who have been robbed of their lands and shops, systematically slaughtered and in some place painted with yellow patches marked H."
Tulsi Gabbard also talked about the current situation in Bangladesh and added, "Now the Islamist, not to be confused with Islam, the Islamist persecution of Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh didn't end with Bangladesh's independence." She further said, "That campaign continues to this day with horrific targeted attacks, murders, homes being burned down and families who continue to be forced to flee. In the early 1900s Hindus made up roughly 33 per cent of the Bangladesh population. Because of this persistent Islamist campaign targeting Hindus, just 8 per cent of Bangladesh's population are Hindus today."