VHP’s Vinod Bansal Raises Questions Over Blasphemy Laws, Seeks Justice for Sri Lankan Hindu
VHP spokesperson calls for equal treatment of religious sentiments and urges global human rights bodies to address concerns over religious freedom.
- Vinod Bansal questions fairness of Saudi blasphemy case
- He seeks review of reported death sentence
- Bansal appeals to King Salman for equal justice
- UN bodies urged to address religious freedom concerns
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th Oct: Vinod Bansal has questioned the fairness and equal application of blasphemy laws after reports that Sivaraasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan Hindu youth, was sentenced to death by a Saudi Arabian court over a social media comment.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Bansal described the reported sentence as deeply concerning and called on Saudi authorities to reconsider the case. He appealed to King Salman to ensure that the matter receives fair treatment and that justice is applied equally.
Bansal raised broader questions about the enforcement of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, arguing that allegations involving religious sentiments should be investigated impartially, regardless of the faith of those involved.
He said that insulting anyone’s religious beliefs was unacceptable but argued that the law should not impose unequal consequences on different religious communities. He questioned whether allegations involving non-Muslim beliefs and religious symbols receive the same attention and legal treatment as cases involving other faiths.
He also criticised what he described as the silence of international secular groups and intellectuals on alleged violations of religious freedom. Bansal urged global human rights organisations and the United Nations, including the UN Human Rights Council, to address the matter and uphold equal protection of religious rights.
Calling for a review of the reported sentence, Bansal appealed to the Saudi government to ensure that the case is handled fairly. He maintained that respect for religious beliefs and equal application of the law should remain fundamental principles, irrespective of religious identity.
The allegations and details of the court proceedings were not independently established in the statement, and the case’s legal circumstances would need to be verified through official records.
