Bengaluru : Ahead of Eid al-Adha, a 14-member delegation from the Karnataka Muslim Muttahida Mahaz, an umbrella body of several Muslim organisations in the state, met Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara in Bengaluru. The delegation appealed to the government to take immediate and effective steps to ensure peace, communal harmony, and the rule of law during the festival period from June 7 to 10.
Led by the Mahaz Convenor Masood Abdul Khader, the delegation submitted a detailed memorandum raising a wide range of concerns affecting the Muslim community and other vulnerable groups. While congratulating the government on completing two years in office and appreciating its people-friendly initiatives, the group expressed concern over growing threats to civil liberties and social justice.
The memorandum pointed to a rise in communal incidents in districts like Gulbarga, Belagavi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, and Channagiri, including derogatory remarks, hate speeches, incidents of violence, and a custodial death. The delegation urged the government to act swiftly against hate-mongers and welcomed the plan to establish a Special Action Force, urging its timely implementation.
They also highlighted the pressing issue of undertrial prisoners, noting that more than 75% of inmates in Karnataka jails are undertrials, many of them from poor and marginalised communities. The Mahaz demanded access for at least 10 human rights lawyers in every central and district jail and proposed the formation of free legal aid teams for minorities, Dalits, OBCs, and tribals. They also sought the inclusion of Muslim rights experts in jail oversight committees.
Raising concern over the surge in hate speech, particularly during elections, the delegation cited data from India Hate Lab and called for legal action on all hate speech cases reported over the past five years. They suggested pre-festival coordination with community leaders to prevent deliberate provocations.
The spread of fake news and misinformation was also a major concern. The Mahaz called for the revival of the Information Disorder Tackling Unit and recommended including media literacy in school curricula along with conducting public awareness campaigns through various media outlets.
Calling the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 2020 discriminatory and frequently misused against Muslims and Dalits, the delegation demanded that the law be repealed or at least reviewed judicially.
The delegation also expressed concern about the growing drug problem, especially among economically backward youth. They proposed the formation of a Special Task Force under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister, modeled on Punjab’s anti-drug enforcement structure, with regular monthly reports made public.
The group urged the government to view these concerns not just as community-specific but as crucial issues impacting the social fabric of the state. They emphasised that timely and sincere action would help preserve Karnataka’s inclusive and secular character.
Among those in the delegation were Joint Convenor Maulana Mohammed Yusuf Kanni, Tanveer Ahmed Shareef, Mansoori Ahmed Qureshi, Talha Siddibapa, and other representatives of various Muslim organisations.
