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Group writes to CM Bommai over ‘targeting’ of minorities
The group said that various kinds of attacks aimed at Muslim, Christian and Dalit communities “have shocked and upset those who pride themselves on Karnataka’s receptive and inclusive nature”.
A group of eminent personalities, including former Karnataka top cop, a foreign service official and the former advocate general, among others, have written a letter to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, expressing their concerns over the “targeting and systematic vilification of minorities and marginalised communities in the state”.
The group added that various kinds of attacks aimed at Muslim, Christian and Dalit communities “have shocked and upset those who pride themselves on Karnataka’s receptive and inclusive nature”.
“It is bad enough that individuals and groups motivated by bigotry and hatred are attempting to reconfigure the idea and established reality of Karnataka by aggressively seeking to exclude, isolate, dispossess and assault communities based on religion and caste. It is even more alarming and distressing that some people in responsible positions, including several who hold office having taken an oath to uphold and abide by the letter and spirit of the Constitution of India, now openly violate that solemn pledge and demonise members of certain minorities,” they said in a letter to the chief minister.
“They also appear to validate, support and even promote intimidation, vigilantism, violence, forcible takeover of property, as well as social and economic boycotts, all aimed at rendering them second-class citizens who can no longer expect to enjoy their Constitutional rights.”
The signatories to the letter include Chiranjeevi Singh, IAS (Retd) and former ambassador of India to UNESCO, Ajai Kumar Singh, IPS (Retd) and former DG & IGP of Karnataka, Ravi Joshi, joint secretary (Retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, Rajagopal Kadambi, former international basketball player and captain, Karnataka team, filmmakers Girish Kasaravalli and Kavita Lankesh, Professor Ravivarma Kumar, former advocate general of Karnataka, Pascal Nazareth, IFS/Ambassador of India (Retd), writer Kotiganahalli Ramaiah, and several others.
The statements come at a time when there have been several instances of attacks against the Muslim, Christian and marginalised communities in the state. The state has also been marred by controversies like hijab, halal, and azaan, restricting Muslims from taking part in temple fairs, anti-conversion bill and several other contentious issues.
In the letter, the 75 signatories said that they tried to meet the chief minister in person but were unsuccessful in doing so.
“The current spate of divisive actions aimed at alienating particular communities and denying them their fundamental rights will not only hamper development but also hurt our state’s reputation, hinder progress and innovation, erode the confidence of entrepreneurs and investors, heighten insecurity, suspicion, fear and resentment among citizens, and cause harm to all sections of society, while also threatening the integrity of our nation. It is not possible to “Make in India” in a climate where people are “Scared in India” and even “Scarred in India”,” according to the letter.
The signatories also gave five suggestions to the government in trying to restore confidence in the state’s population.
“Direct the state’s police force to do its Constitutional duty to uphold the law, safeguard vulnerable citizens and guarantee that victims of crimes, including communal and casteist hate crimes, have full access to justice, and also that witnesses can come forward to testify, confident that they will receive due protection,” the group said.
They added that appropriate actions should be taken to maintain peace and harmony in the state, take prompt and strong action against hate speech “that dehumanises members of particular communities, and against the increasingly frequent, vicious calls for physical violence, as well as equally damaging social and economic boycotts”.
“Take immediate cognisance of and stand up publicly against the misinformation and false stories about minorities that are regularly being circulated now – in the form of public utterances as well as through social and other forms of media – which aggravate the risk of citizens who belong to such communities being subjected to discrimination and violence,” the group said.
They urged that authorities take prompt action against the section of the media “that has been openly stoking the fires of division and discord by promoting intolerance, hatred and violence, and spreading fake news and false rumours”.
