'Hindu religious scriptures are porn texts, offer no moral teaching': Bangladeshi opposition leader sparks row

New Delhi: Amid increasing attacks on minorities living in Bangladesh, a top opposition leader and the joint convener of Gono Odhikar Parishad - Tarique Rahman - has stoked a fresh controversy by saying that “Hindu religious scriptures are just porn texts.” According to international media reports, Tarique Rahman, in a brazen attack on the Hindu minorities, also said that Hindu religious scriptures offer no moral teachings.

“Scriptures of the Hindu religion do not offer any moral teaching -  all the religious scriptures are merely porn scripts,” Tarique Rahman said in a Facebook live. The video has now gone viral on social media and is also being shared widely by users.

His controversial statement comes in the wake of a growing attack on Hindus and their religious places in Bangladesh. Interestingly, Tarique Rahman is also believed to be a close aide of opposition leader Nurul Haque Nur, who is seeking to oust the present Sheikh Hasina-led government in Bangladesh in the 2024 General Elections.

Gono Odhikar Parishad, which was launched in October 2021, has a large number of Bangladeshi youths and social activists as its leaders. The group also reportedly enjoys enormous support from the terrorist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami.

It may be recalled that the national elections are due in Bangladesh early next year and hardliners, backed by Jamaat-E-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have begun targeting minorities, especially Hindus, living in the country besides launching a smear campaign against the Sheikh Hasina government.