Hindu Samhati, an NGO that works for the human rights of the suffering Hindus of West Bengal, celebrated its 8th anniversary on 14 Feb, 2016 at Esplanade, Kolkata. The Chief Guest of the event was Francois Gautier, French journalist, author and founder of FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism).

The event was presided over by Sri Tapan Ghosh, Founder & President of Hindu Samhati. Other speakers included Shri Bala Guru from Global Hindu Heritage Foundation, USA; Sardar Ravijot Singh, a poet from Delhi; Swami Pradiptananda ji Maharaj from Bharat Sevashram Sangha; Swami Tejasananda ji Maharaj from Bholagiri Ashram, Haridwar; Sri Bandhu Gourab Brahmachari from Maha Uddharan Math; Debtanu Bhattacharya, Secretary, Hindu Samhati.

The rally was attended by more than 50,000 activists who came from all corners of the state. Sri Francois Gautier, in his speech, claimed that Hindus are the most tolerant race in the world. He promised to keep working for this great culture. Sri Bala Guru appreciated the work of Hindu Samhati. He assured full support to Sri Tapan Ghosh in his mission. “Hindus in Bengal are ignored and sidelined and there is a sense of discrimination. The ruling party (TMC) here needs to understand and recognise the problems of Hindus and mete out equal treatment to people of all religions,” he said.

Sardar Ravijot Singh appealed everyone to work for Hindus and drive away anti-national elements out of the country. Swami Pradiptananda ji Maharaj said Hindus are tolerant but not cowards. If anybody goes against Dharma, we should fight that person – that is the call of dharma.

Rally Participants Attacked; Police Remains Mute Spectator

Sri Tapan Ghosh, in his speech, strongly criticized the police of Howrah district, led by Superintendent of Police Sukesh Jain, IPS, which failed to provide adequate security to Hindu Samhati activists against jihadi attacks while they were coming to attend the rally. At many places in Howrah district and Medinipur district, Muslim radicals attacked the rally participants. At Uluberia in Howrah and at Mecheda in Medinipur. women participants were attacked and molested.

Ghosh also criticized Mamata Banerjee’s minority appeasement policy, which has emboldened jihadi elements and made large tracts West Bengal unlivable for poor Hindus. He urged Hindus to not to rely on any political party or administration for their protection against jihadi threats; rather he asked them to defend themselves. “We will have to spread the news to as far as the booth level that Hindus need to be united as the police can no longer protect us when they cannot even protect themselves. We will do everything permissible under the law to protect our interests,” he said.

About Hindu Samhati

Hindu Samhati is an NGO which regularly monitors and reports violations against Hindus in West Bengal. They also work with both governmental and non-governmental agencies for education and awareness to ensure the under attack Hindu populace gets protection as per prevailing law of the land. Within only eight years since it was founded by nationalist leader Sri Tapan Ghosh in 2008, Hindu Samhati has become an icon of hope to Hindus in West Bengal. From Sunderban to Shantipur, from Bolpur to Barasat, wherever Hindus have been attacked, activists of Hindu Samhati have stood by them and fought for their cause.

Dire State of West Bengal Hindus

If there is one community in Bharat today that is being persecuted right before our very eyes, it is the Hindu of West Bengal, especially rural Bengal. Since its formation 8 years back, Hindu Samhati has been meticulously keeping track of each and every incident of human rights violation of Hindus in West Bengal. The report “Seven years of Hindu persecution in West Bengal” compiled by Hindu Samhati which appeared on India Facts should be read by everyone who is living in denial of this existential crisis facing Hindus in West Bengal – they are slowly but surely being religiously cleansed from large parts of the state.

Each such incident of wanton violence (murder, rape, destruction of houses & shops, burning of fields, molestation of women) which has tacit blessing of the TMC administration (earlier CPM too had given free reign to Islamist goons, but the problem has accelerated under TMC), leads to a slow exodus of hapless Hindus from the affected areas. This unreported cleansing, and not just illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigration, is reflected in the census 2011 numbers which show Hindus have decreased in West Bengal by 1.94%, while Muslims have grown by 1.77% (a much sharper fall compared to the national trend of 0.7% reduction in Hindu population and 0.8% increase in Muslims). Hindus in parts of Bengal are not even permitted to celebrate Durga Puja anymore, as it ‘offends the sensibilities’ of their Muslim neighbours.

And this is data from 5 years back, before the current TMC regime had started its reign of terror. Some of the most heart-rending cases of gang rape have been reported from Bengal in the last few years – the most gruesome being the case of 20 year old Shipra Ghosh gang raped by nine, led by TMC strongmen Ansar Ali, Saiful Ali, Aminul Ali; her legs torn apart up to the navel, and throat slit.

Way Forward

It is organizations like Hindu Samhati which ensure that Hindus in Bengal have some sort of a voice, because the national & local media ignore every violent attack on Hindus allegedly in the interest of ‘maintaining communal peace and harmony’. But what this blackout has achieved is the exact opposite of what media claims it intends to do – Muslim extremists have been so emboldened that they are not afraid even to take on the police and other security forces.

But the advent of organizations like Hindu Samhati and the rise of social media offer the best chance for Hindus to raise their voice, as one, to fight this blatant persecution of our brothers and sisters in West Bengal.

(This article has been curated from a Hindu Samhati report and other sources)