Bigotry uninterrupted

Nischith N | NT

After Basavaraj Bommai took over as Chief Minister of the state, the religious divide in the state is growing by the day, and the right-wing Hindutva outfits have been targeting minorities with impunity. A couple of weeks ago it was the call to ban halal meat and the use of loudspeakers in masjids during azan, and now these outfits are targeting Muslim-owned transport companies.

According to the reports, Hindutva leader Prashanth Sambargi and others have given a call to boycott Muslim drivers across the state. Right wing activists have appealed to Hindus not to engage Muslim drivers when they go for temple trips and pilgrimages. They also gave a call not to use vehicles from transport companies owned by Muslims.

Activists say that right-wing Hindutva groups were poisoning the state’s communal atmosphere by their relentless propaganda against minorities. “I feel there is a monopoly on the right wing and a ruling government to create some violence in the society. Does the hijab, halal and now drivers’ issue in Karnataka have something to do with the next coming elections? They have mastered the art of communalising and consolidating the vote bank,” said Shankar, software professional.

During the Bommai regime, Muslims have been targeted over issues such as hijab, halal meat, and the azaan in mosques. Some have even lashed out at the large number of Muslims who are fruit vendors and asked Hindus not to buy fruits from them.

According to the reports from the transport department, there are 1.10 lakh private buses across Karnataka, out of 40,000 drivers are from the Muslim community, there are 3.15 lakh taxis and around one lakh taxis are owned by Muslims. In Bengaluru city, out of 1.60 lakh autos, 60, 000 autos are owned by Muslims and 40,000 drivers are from the community. Tanveer Pasha, President, Ola, Taxiforsure and Uber Drivers and Owners Association, told News Trail, “This is India and we all live here as brothers and sisters. This was not an issue all these years but it has been created now by this small group without any idea of what it leads to. This will create communal violence in the society.” 

He pointed out that in the tourism sector, language, religion and caste have never come up. “This is being created. There is no caste or religion among us. There are many people who started as drivers and are now operators. Better government should intervene and arrest people who are making such communal statements.”

Many activists claim that the Karnataka government led by the BJP is responsible for the vitiating communal atmosphere. “Since Bommai took over as the state’s chief minister last year, the state has passed a controversial anti-conversion bill, issued an order effectively barring hijabs in schools and colleges, and quietly endorsed the campaign against halal meat as well as that against the use of loudspeakers in mosques. The government has appeared to side with calls by fringe groups over the hijab, the campaign against halal meat and azaan. It is a baseless argument made by this right wing and BJP government. The government should focus on real issues and not waste time on this,” said Prasana, an activist.