Rise in communal violence in state flayed

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru, Jan. 24 Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Karnataka condemned the incidents of violence and disharmony against the minorities that has seen a sharp rise in the recent months.

Referring to the recent killing of 19-year-old Sameer Shahapur in Gadag, JIH president Dr Muhammad Saad Belgami said, “We expect the state government to take stringent action against the culprits involved in the incident.

Even the Home Minister is responsible for maintaining law and order in the state. We hope he takes notice of what is necessary.”

The JIH leaders also felt that the State Minority Commission could have done more than just writing a letter to the Gadag Superintendent of Police, about the killing.

Addressing a press conference at JIH office in Bengaluru on Monday, Belgami spoke about the issue of Hijab at a Government Pre-University College at Udupi. “Hijab is an age-old form of modest dress practiced by Muslim women and also by other groups in different names. The head-scarf has never been an obstacle to identity and progress,” he said.

Last week Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh had said that wearing a hijab amounts to indiscipline and that educational institutes are not the places to practice religion.

Further speaking about the Central Government’s call for Surya Namaskar on 73rd Republic Day, Saad Belgami said, “While we respect devotional Yoga, we also appeal to the government not to force religious practices of one community on others,” he said.