The pattern in most instances of communal hate crimes and communal policing that witness the active involvement of on-lookers playing the role of informers for Hindutva organizations, is a reflection of the seeping in of the norms of social apartheid, a fact-finding report titled ‘From Communal Policing to Hate Crimes: The Attacks on Ambedkar’s Dream of Fraternity’ noted.
The report puts on record and analyses communally-fuelled incidents in the Dakshina Kannada area of Karnataka that unfolded between January – September 2021.
Calling out the “social apartheid” that is in place, the report urges members of the majority community to raise their voice against communal hate crimes and the normalisation of social apartheid.
“This terror that is spread and its chilling effect has meant that there is no voice against these communal hatred organisations, except those belonging to the minority community and a few individuals,” it stated.
The report noted that the communal hate crimes are not stand-alone incidents of violence against individuals but operate within an ecosystem of rightwing Hindutva hate. “It rests on the violent crimes of a section of radicalised, predominantly young men; and the silence of the remaining Hindu majority caused by either support for this divisive ideology or sheer apathy or fear.”
The Hindutva organizations behind these attacks enjoy the overt and covert support from the constitutional State government, the report says, citing that the Chief Minister of the State made a statement practically condoning acts of violence in case of inter-faith fraternizing on grounds of morality.
“The State has become increasingly intrusive and the recent statements of the Chief Minister shows the patronage that the State is providing to the Hindutva organizations, practically sanctioning such violence.”
Pointing out the role of the police, the report stated that Hindutva outfits have been orchestrating hate crimes “not only because the police have failed to discharge their duties, but have also, on many occasions been complicit in the same.”
“Although Hindutva organisations function as though they were above the law, they use existing provisions of the law as well to further their communal agenda. For instance, they file criminal complaints against persons who are actually victims of the crimes committed by these organisations,” the report noted.
According to the report, patterns of enforcing social segregation, economic boycott, attacks in the name of cattle, dictating intimacies, curbing religious freedom and hate speech are wholly an attack on the preambular value of ‘fraternity’. “Such a consistent attack on the value of fraternity leads to social apartheid,” it reads.
“The attack against the minority community is on all fronts – social, economic and political,” the report says.
Religious minorities face danger for merely practising their faith and symbols of their faith have become objects of assault. Through hate speech, the entire community is dehumanized and open calls for violence against them are made, it adds.
The report points out that attacks in the name of cattle protection are an attack on the social, economic and cultural rights of minorities. Citing the details of various such attacks, it states that “the police fail to take any actions against the various instances where particularly Muslims have been thrashed in the name of cow protection. Private policing in the guise of beef is also apparent.”
Hindutva organisations, with the overt and covert support of the State machinery, run a concerted campaign to ensure the social segregation of, particularly Muslims, from the rest of society, the report says, while citing numerous examples of assault on Muslims. “This is done through criminal actions aimed at preventing all forms of social interactions between Muslims and Hindus.”
“These actions which constitute criminal offences are ignored by the police who, if at all, register criminal cases against these persons for lesser offences without invoking the provisions pertaining to spreading religious hatred,” the report adds.
It notes that another medium that is used to attack minorities and subordinate them is by calls for economic boycott. “This ranges from calls being given not to buy from Muslim vendors to notices being issued prohibiting businesses to actual physical assaults prohibiting Muslims from engaging in business.”
The fact-finding report identifies the urgent need to respond to the situation of social apartheid and provides recommendations to the state government, the District Police Administration, the District Administration and the civil society.
The report was published by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Karnataka (PUCL-K), the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), All India People’s Forum (AIPF) and Gaurilankeshnews.com.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
