Former US Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday expressed grief over Bangladesh's recent communal violence and slammed jihadists for destroying temples.
Taking to Twitter, Gabbard said, "It broke my heart to see such hate and violence directed towards devotees of God in their temples in Bangladesh. For these jihadists to believe it's pleasing to God to burn and destroy temples and the murti of such a saintly person as his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, shows just how far away from God they really are. God is love, and his true servants embody and manifest that love in this world."
Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement".
Communal tensions have gripped Bangladesh over the past few days following allegations of the Quran being dishonoured at a puja pavilion in Cumilla on October 13, triggering violence in several districts across the country.
At least four people were killed in police shootings during the attack on Puja locations in Chandpur's Hajiganj on October 13 and in Noakhali's Choumuhani, attacks on Hindu temples left two people dead on October 15.
At least 71 cases have been filed in different parts of the country in connection with the attacks on Hindus and around 450 were arrested for spreading rumours on social media.
She urged Bangladesh Government to protect that country's religious minorities from jihadist forces.
"It is time for the supposedly secular government of Bangladesh to protect that country's religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists, from the jihadist forces of hate," said Gabbard on a Twitter post.
( With inputs from ANI )
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