India - Karnataka: ‘Communal incidents on the rise in DK and Udupi’

The Hindu

KARNATAKA
MANGALURU, January 15, 2015

‘Communal incidents on the rise in DK and Udupi’

Govind D. Belgaumkar

The district units of the Komu Souharda Vedike and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) have said that more communal incidents were reported in 2014 in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts than the previous year.

Submitting a memorandum to Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim, they demanded that monthly meetings be held with victims from the minority communities.

The office-bearers of the two organisations said in a press release that 2014 witnessed 173 communal incidents in the twin districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi against 121 cases in 2013.

Moral policing

Of the 53 moral policing incidents in 2014, Hindu youths were the accused in 39 of them while Muslims were accused in 14.

As many as 22 cases of prevention of cow transport or attacks on transporters, nine allegations of forcible religious conversions, eight cases of inciting speeches were reported.

Other instances, including clashes between students and the destruction of banners and posters, accounted for 81 cases.

The president of the district unit of the vedike Suresh Bhat Bakrabail clarified that that they were not based on police reports but rather on newspaper reports – clippings of which have been maintained.

In 2013, there were reported 45 cases of moral policing with Hindus being the accused in 23 cases and Muslims in 16 and the accused were not known in the rest.

In that year, there were prevention of cow transport or attacks on transporters in eight cases and allegations of forcible conversions were nine. Other cases, including inciting religious sentiments, were 59.

Besides Mr. Bhat, the release has been signed by David D’Souza, president of the district unit of the PUCL, and members including those who are members of the youth wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

173 communal incidents reported in 2014 against 121 cases in 2013

‘Hold monthly meetings with victims of communal tension’

173 communal incidents reported in 2014 against 121 cases in 2013

source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/communal-incidents-on-the-rise-in-dk-and-udupi/article6791256.ece