JOIN USControl moral police, citizens appeal
Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) District Convener Mohammed Nizar said that students are being assaulted and harassed in the name of moral policing in the district.
“Police too do not take necessary action even when victims go to file complaints,” he alleged.
Mangalore City Corporation Corporator Mariyamma Thomas said that moral policing is gaining more strength than the State police. “Youth should be given their freedom to speak to their friends and colleagues without any religious prejudice,” she urged.
She pointed out that many head constables, sub inspectors and inspectors are working at the same jurisdictions, where they joined, for more than 6 years in the district. This is one of the reasons, communal clashes keep happening in the district, she said adding that officials should be transferred after a specific period.
Muslim Traders Association President Eliyas said that police do not arrest the real culprits whenever communal riots occur in the district. Instead, they encourage communal forces to perpetrate violences, he added.
Badriya College Principal Dr Ismail said that the moral policing was continuing unabated in an organised manner as if they were given license to do it. Christian community leader Sushil Noronha suggested that booth wise and ward wise peace meeting should be convened by the police to control the moral policing.
Meanwhile, student Sabeeha Fathima said that institution heads in some schools in the district do not allow Muslim girls to wear Burkha.
Chaotic traffic, parking
Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti President Hanumanth Kamath explained the issue of chaotic traffic and lack of parking space in the city at the meeting. He said that even though most of the roads in the city were concretised, all of them were partially converted into parking lots.
CITU Autorickshaw Drivers Association President Vishnumurthy pointed out that that traffic congestion occurs on the road between Balmatta and Jyothi Circle since vehicles were being parked on the roadside. He demanded that authorisation should be given to 350 autorickshaw stands in the city.
Government PU College, Balmatta, Principal Elvira Philomena urged that the roads near the college should be declared as ‘No Horn Zone’. She said that teachers have to strive literally to teach since the area is highly polluted by the sound of vehicle horns. Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty, IGP Gopal B Hosur, Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj, SP Dr Subramanyeshwar Rao and Zilla Panchayat CEO P Shivashankar were present.
Police commissionerate: Reply in two weeks
DGP Ajay Kumar Singh, replying to citizens’ queries, said that the proposal of setting up a Commissionerate for Mangalore has already been forwarded to Home Ministry.
Presently, the Finance Department is scrutinising the proposal, he said adding that a positive reply from the Department was expected in two weeks.
‘Moral policing shameful’
Talking about moral policing issue, Singh said “moral policing has brought bad name to the city throughout the world.” Political parties, religious leaders and general public should join hands to eradicate the menace.
“There are misguided people in each communities. People should identify and isolate such people,” he said adding that the police also will take stern action against moral police.
He assured that the peace meeting will be organised at all police stations to ensure communal harmony in the district.