Bahutva Karnataka, a forum for justice, harmony and solidarity on Tuesday said the future of Karnataka’s youth is in danger if the ruling BJP administration continues and the murders of three youth within a span of ten days are a result of the collapse of rule of law under Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The rights group pointed out that calls for Uttar Pradesh Model in the state calls for encounters is an insult to the police, judiciary and the Constitution.
In a press release on Tuesday, Bahutva Karnataka said, “Karnataka is in a man-made crisis with Bommai and his ineffective council of ministers responsible for the same. Human civilisations across the world chose to form governments to implement the ‘Rule of Law’ so that there is no chaos so that a few people do not take law into their own hands. In Karnataka today, the rule of law has collapsed. The administration seems to exist only for the workers of a party.”
“The Chief Minister discriminates even in death, visiting the house of his party worker and ignoring those killed because of the hate he fuelled,” it said adding that there is no pretence of equality also anymore. “What is worse, the Chief Minister gives an interview where he says he will follow the ‘Hindutva Rule of Law’.”
According to the peace forum, the recent murders are a result of the “encouragement of hatred, police inaction, the discriminatory attitude of officials and encouragement by the government. “The discrimination in how they were treated is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.”
“The murders of three youths– Masud, Praveen Nettaru and Mohammed Fazil are not isolated incidents. They are a result of a build-up of a cocktail of hate and impunity. When Bommai justified violence in the name of ‘Action and Reaction’ in 2021, it opened the floodgates for violence,” it said in the release.
Speaking of the Police inaction, Bahutva Karnataka recalled that in the presence of police, “we have seen goondas of BJP and Sangh Parivar affiliated organisations indulging in violence – they crushed the watermelons of Shri Nabisaab, they indulge in hate-speech calling for violence against Muslims, threatened to forcibly enter mosques and perform puja.”
In another incident which took place in January 2022, “Sanju Nalvade of Bajrang Dal despite being named in an FIR, was allowed to make a hate speech calling for violence against Muslims, in front of a police station. Hours later Sameer Shahpur was killed in the same town.”
The second thing according to the peace forum which led to increasing in hatred is the “discriminatory attitude of officials.”
“In Bangalore, police who cancelled a protest by civil society groups because the banner said “In Solidarity with Hijab wearing students” allow Hindutva groups to hold a protest at Town Hall in violation of court orders, where placards are held saying “Beware of Islam”. They fail to take action when people at the protest spread fake news saying, “madrasas ask students to kill kaffirs” etc.”
Encouragement of hatred by the government
This government actually encourages people to hate. When Chandru was killed in Bangalore and the Police Commissioner tweeted saying that it had nothing to do with religion but was because of a petty fight, the Home Minister gave it non-existing communal overtones,” it said.
“While members of Sri Ram Sene gave speeches calling for rape and murder of minorities, in Belgaum, they were involved in the beheading of Shri Arbaz. Members of the VHP are alleged to be the killers of Shri Masud.” Bahutva Karnataka said that CM Bommai and his party instead of acting against these organisations “encourages them, invites them for meetings and poses for photographs with them.”
Statements of CM and his ministers will encourage more violence
“The Constitutional obligation of the State is to maintain peace and respect the law. However, this administration seems to create the grounds for more violence. We are not at all shocked that the Chief Minister speaks of bringing the UP model, while his minister speaks of staging fake encounters. This not only displays their inability and lack of will to govern but also fuels hate and makes the conditions of people worse,” the rights group members said.
“The Karnataka model was given to us by Basavanna when he said “Ivanaarava, Ivanaarava Iva nammava”. It was given to us by Kuvempu who said this is ‘Sarva Janangada Shantiya Thota”, they said adding that they do not want a UP model or fake encounters. “We want Kuvempu’s Sarva Janangada Shantiya Thota, we want a government which will follow its Constitutional duty. A government which fails to comply with its Constitutional Duty has no moral or ethical right to continue,” Bahutva Karnataka said in the release.
The Press meet was addressed by Senior Lawyer B T Venkatesh, Advocate Mohammed Niyaz, State Secretary, Association for Protection of Civil Rights-Karnataka, Slum Mahila Sanghatane’s Sharanya, All India Students Association’s Aratrike De, Mohammed Nasir-State Secretary of Students Islamic Organisation and Bahutva Karnataka’s Maitreyi K.
The civil rights groups have made a few demands in order to ensure that everyone in Karnataka has a secure, safe and dignified future.
They have asked the state to act on the Supreme Court judgement in the Tehseen Poonawalla vs Union of India[AIR 2018 SC 3354] case and also the Guidelines on Communal Harmony, 2008.
Secondly, the Chief Minister must apologise to the state for the three murders and his statement calling for the UP model and withdraw the same.
Further, CM Bommai must take action against IT Minister Dr Ashwatnarayan for openly advocating illegal means to end violence.
“Action must be taken against Pramod Muthalik, Koli Swamy, Mr Eswharappa and other hate mongers,” it demanded and the Chief Minister must act against the media who include in rumour-mongering and spreading hatred.
They have also urged Mr Bommai to visit the homes of Fazil, Masud, Sahabaz, and Sameer and announce compensation for all.
“The administration must immediately hold dialogues with the youth on their concerns regarding education and job creation,” Bahutva Karnataka democracy in its release and if the Chief Minister cannot act on any of these demands, “he must immediately resign from his post.”
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Rabia Shireen is a Staff Reporter at The Cognate.
