High-voltage drama unfolded in New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave as hundreds of activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal converged near the Bangladesh High Commission on Tuesday.
The protest was triggered by the brutal mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu youth in Bangladesh, on 18 December.
Demonstrators breached the first layer of police barricades, shouting slogans and demanding better protection for minorities in the neighbouring country.
While Bangladesh’s interim government confirmed seven arrests in the murder case, the incident has further strained ties, leading to the temporary suspension of consular services at the High Commission in Delhi.
VHP Protests in India
The high-security zone of Chanakyapuri witnessed chaotic scenes as nearly 500 protesters, carrying saffron flags and placards, marched toward the Bangladesh High Commission.
Chanting slogans against the “massacre of Bangladeshi Hindus,” the activists managed to overpower the initial police deployment and scale the first line of barricades near S. Radhakrishnan Marg. Security personnel, including riot control units, struggled for nearly two hours to contain the surge.
Despite the intense physical confrontation, police officials confirmed that no injuries were reported and the crowd was eventually dispersed by 1:00 PM. The protest served as a stark visual representation of the rising public anger in India regarding the safety of religious minorities across the border.
Killing Of Dipu Das in Bangladesh
The immediate catalyst for this unrest was the death of Dipu Chandra Das, who was allegedly beaten to death by a mob in Mymensingh. This incident occurred against a backdrop of wider instability in Bangladesh following the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the 2024 anti-government protests.
While the Bangladesh interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has promised strict action and initiated arrests, the spillover effect has reached New Delhi’s diplomatic corridors.
On Monday, the Bangladesh High Commission cited the “prevailing security situation” as the reason for suspending all visa and consular services, a move that has left thousands of travellers and business owners in a state of uncertainty.
Unrest And Allegations
The diplomatic standoff is complicated by a series of cross-border allegations. Bangladeshi authorities have suggested that suspects involved in recent internal unrest may have fled to India, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile.
This political friction has fueled a climate of suspicion, with activists in Delhi claiming that the interim government in Dhaka is failing to uphold the basic human rights of its Hindu citizens. VHP leaders at the protest site argued that the safety of Hindus in any country must be a non-negotiable priority for international diplomacy.
They demanded that the Indian government take a firmer stance to ensure that the “blood of minorities” is not shed with impunity in the neighbouring nation.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that the protection of minority rights is a universal moral imperative that transcends national borders. The loss of a young life like Dipu Chandra Das is a tragedy that demands swift justice and systemic reforms to prevent mob violence.
However, we also maintain that diplomatic missions must remain sanctuaries of dialogue, and their security is paramount under international law.
hile the right to protest is a pillar of democracy, physical aggression near high commissions can inadvertently silence the very diplomatic channels needed to resolve such crises. We advocate for a peaceful, persistent dialogue that prioritises human life and communal harmony over political posturing.
