Mohandas Pai, former CFO and Board Member at Infosys, slammed Indian-American businessman and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and asked him to protest against the genocide of minority Hindus in Bangladesh led by his "very close friend" Muhammad Yunus.
Pai's attack comes as Khosla had expressed excitement after Muhammad Yunus was named as interim head of Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina. In a tweet, Khosla, while sharing a report, then wrote: "Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead Bangladesh's interim government. Excited as I am a big fan."
Commenting on this post, Pai said: "Will you Pl stand up and protest against the genocide of minority Hindus in BD led by your very close friend @Yunus_Centre? Hindus are being beaten and killed by jihadi extremists in the streets and Yunus is basking in glory at the admiration of people like you. Pl stand up for human rights."
In August this year, after Khosla tweeted about Yunus, Karl Mehta, co-founder of PlaySpan, slammed the Indian-American businessman: "I think you have not seen the Hindu Genocide he (Yunus) has caused to get to power by making a democratically elected PM (Sheikh Hasina) run for her life."
Mehta said Khosla should call Yunus and ask about "women being raped, men burnt alive, Hindu shops and homes looted and burned and temples are being destroyed. You can save millions of life by calling your friend or let millions die."
The situation for Bangladesh's Hindu minority, constituting about 8 per cent of the nation's 170 million people, has worsened since Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government fell on August 5. Over 200 attacks on Hindus have been reported across more than 50 districts.
The arrest of Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das this week further escalated tensions. Das, a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was detained on sedition charges and denied bail. His arrest sparked widespread protests in Dhaka, Chattogram, and other cities.
Ajay Shah, president of Vishva Hindu Parishad America (VHPA), condemned the violence, stating: “The news of Das’ arrest, the vandalism of the Kali Mandir in Chittagong, and the rising attacks on Hindus across Bangladesh are deeply disconcerting. Is this the human rights legacy the Biden administration wants to be remembered for?”
VHPA General Secretary Amitabh Mittal also criticised the lack of global media attention, saying, “The silence regarding the ongoing atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh is deafening. The recent arrest of an ISKCON priest and violent attacks on Hindu temples highlight the alarming rise in religious intolerance.”
In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, Hindus for America First (HFAF) recommended halting US funding for projects in Bangladesh tied to Beijing. "We humbly ask that US aid be contingent on measurable action by the Bangladeshi government to protect vulnerable communities,” Sanduja wrote. “Taxpayer dollars should never support governments that fail to safeguard their citizens.”
Sanduja also accused certain Bangladeshi officials of ties to extremist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam, warning these connections could threaten US security. He called for visa restrictions and tighter oversight to prevent extremist ideologies from spreading to American soil.
"By imposing tariffs, the US can prioritise its own manufacturing sector while sending a strong message to Bangladesh. Access to US defense technology and intelligence-sharing programs should also be paused until the nation aligns with America’s security priorities,” he added.