E-Paper
Right-wing groups urge police to ban celebrations on New Year’s eve
The outfits said they are opposing parties that take place in the guise of New Year celebrations on December 31 as they are based on “Western culture”.
Right-wing groups Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have urged the Mangaluru city police commissioner not to grant permission for New Year celebrations.
In a memorandum submitted to commissioner N Shashi Kumar, the right-wing outfits urged the police not to grant permission to programmes “featuring indecent dances by using drugs and alcohol under the cover of New Year celebrations.”
The outfits said they are opposing parties that take place in the guise of New Year celebrations on December 31 as they are based on “Western culture”.
“There are possibilities of drugs and sex mafia widening their network because of these parties. Action should be taken to close all bars and pubs within the specified time frame,” the memorandum stated.
Sunil KR, state convenor of Bajrang Dal, said illegal activities and instances of ‘love jihad’ occur under the guise of New Year celebrations.
‘Love jihad’ is a term often used by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and right-wing leaders to refer to illegal religious conversions allegedly through force or deceit.
“These celebrations are an opportunity to promote love jihad. Muslim youths take part in these late-night parties, which involve dancing, among other things. They try to lure Hindu girls and make them take part in illegal activities,” Sunil said.
“Islam does not encourage dancing, singing and partying. Why do those Muslim youths still take part in these parties? This is an attempt to take up love jihad. That is why these parties should be banned,” the Bajrang Dal leader added.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru commissioner N. Shashi Kumar said a meeting of all the officials would be held, and guidelines for the New Year celebrations will be issued soon.
“We are holding a meeting with the DC and commissioner, and we will give some guidelines after that. The guidelines will only be clear after the meeting,” Shashi Kumar said.
“Some hotel and hospitality sector representatives have approached us seeking permission to keep the businesses open till 1 am, like in Bengaluru. But we are yet to decide upon it. Common guidelines for the entire district will be out soon,” he added.
The memorandum comes in the backdrop of pro-Hindu organisations demanding a separate law against ‘love jihad’ in the state and launching a campaign in this regard.
The right-wing groups have also demanded that a bill regarding this be introduced in the ongoing assembly session in Belagavi. They also submitted a memorandum to ministers, MPs and MLAs to bring a law against ‘love jihad’.
Earlier this month, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti state spokesperson Mohan Gowda demanded a law against ‘love jihad’. He said, “We will distribute books on love jihad to women and people from the Hindu community. In over 100 places across the state, we will organise ‘Hindu Rashtra Jagruti Sabha’ against love jihad.”
Posters also came up in Mangaluru and some areas in the Dakshina Kannada district, including Puttur.
Last week, Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said the existing anti-conversion law is sufficient to take care of ‘love jihad’ cases, and there is no need for a separate law.
“The Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2022, (popularly called the Anti-Conversion Bill) is sufficient to prevent ‘love jihad’ in the state, and there is no need of enacting a new law or setting a separate task force,” he said.
He further said that the Constitution provides an opportunity for any individual to practice any religion that he/she wants. However, before the person starts practising, he/she has to go through a process of law.
