Russian Hindus seek help after persecution by radicals

Russian Hindus have sought help after one of the prominent Hindu spiritual leader Sri Prakash ji was targeted by conservatives.

The Russian Hindus have taken up their cause online with a petition set to be delivered to Rusian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Minister of India Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov.

Hindu leader Shri Prakash j was born in Patna but moved to Russia in 1990 and is a preacher of Hinduism and is a much followed Hindu religious Guru in Russia.

The petition on Change.org hs been set up by his son Prasun Prakash and it states that one Alexander Dvorkin, who claims to be a researcher of modern sectarianism, Church historian, and Orthodox Theologian has been troubling the family as they follow Hinduism.

Dvorkin, Prasun Prakash states, in his quest for cheap publicity, has identified my father and our family to be used as the one tool against Hindus in Russia to achieve the ultimate subjugation of the whole Hindu community in this country as per his illegal and deplorable intentions.

The petition categorically says that Dvorkin defiling Hinduism and challenging its acceptance as a world religion and hurts the feelings of Hindus with his remarks that he has published on the forum of his Internet website iriney.ru and other social networks. This has hurt the sentiments of Russian Hindus and they are seeking ways to put an end to the harassment.

When the Hindu leader tried to stop him what he spreads on various online forums and sued Dvorkin’s website forum.iriney.ru for libel all hell broke loose.

The petition says that on December 11, 2016, a group of people were sent to terrorize and threaten the Hindu leader’s family which the family says was done at the behest of Dvorkin himself so as to pressurize the family to take back the libel which they are sure to win.

But the Russian Hindus are still sure of their win

The libel from the Hindu side will be tackled by a renowned Russian lawyer, Shota Gorgadze, and the next court hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2017. since till date, there are no witnesses from the side of the online resource, and if they will not be found, then most likely the Hindu side will emerge victorious. As the whiff of the defeat is near, says the petition, the other side is resorting to various provocations including threats of physical violence.

Since till date, there are no witnesses from the side of the online resource, and if they will not be found, then most likely the Russian Hindus will emerge victorious. As the whiff of the defeat is near, says the petition, however, the other side is resorting to various provocations including threats of physical violence.

Russian media is also another tool of the radical preacher Dvorkin who fabricated a two-minute news story that the federal channel Russia-1 (Россия-1) broadcasted in the evening news “Vesti : 20:00″ on December 14.”

This, the petition says, is a ‘frivolous and framed up story was aimed at diminishing the cultural and religious works of my father as a believer of Hinduism and to depict it as a “sect,” which is purely incomprehensible.’

As per the 2010 religious census, there are 140,000 Hindus in Russia, which account for 0.1% population of Russia.

Hindus are a minority in Russia and the petitioner is hoping that when India, having a majority population of Hindus, can safeguard Christianity and its followers, then Russia can definitely offer the same protection to its minority Hindu population.

Russian Hindus have been fighting for their religious rights quite vigorously in the past. Like in the December of 2011, they tasted victory when a Tomsk court in Siberia (Russia) of refused to go ahead with a proposed ban on ancient Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita but this battle is a notch up than that one. Are Russian Hindus up for the challenge?

Check the petition by clicking here!