Committee plays the peacenik

Minority leaders claim third party spread rumours of attacks

To mitigate rising tensions in the State over threats to the North-Eastern community, a peace committee was formed at the office of the Director General and Inspector General (DG&IG) on Thursday evening. 

The committee attempted to bring both the communities together for discussions, and in the process, allay fears among the North-Easterners that they would be attacked by Muslims.

Leaders from the Muslim community expressed their solidarity with the North-East migrants living Bangalore and denied their involvement in the campaign of fear which has caused many North-Easterners to flee the City

. They also claimed that a ‘third-party’ of trouble-makers was responsible for fomenting tension over the past 48 hours. 

Members alleged that a group called Bhagat Singh Kranthi Sena was taking advantage of the situation and posting inflammatory comments on social networking sites.

Muslim religious leaders revealed that during the Khutba (sermon) on Friday, Maulvis (priests) will appeal to people to dismiss rumours and ask their Jamaat (delegation) to spread the message of harmony and peace.

“We at the Jama Masjid will pray for our North-Eastern brothers and sisters and ensure that our Jamaat will be given lessons on how to behave as a good Muslim,” said Maulana Imran Rashadi, Imam of the Masjid.   

While the religious leaders and other elders of the community expressed their solidarity, a few showed their angst at the police inaction in apprehending the culprits of the previous communal violence which had occurred in the State. 

Several Muslim leaders also expressed their worry over the continued indifference of the police in a case pertaining to controversial RSS leader Prabhakar Bhat. 

“We have complained several times to the police about Prabhakar Bhat who recently shared the dais with Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa. Is there a different rule for the Muslims,” asked a Muslim representative at the meet.

Stepping stone

Representatives of the North-East hailed the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) of the State government as a stepping stone to narrow the differences between the two communities. 

“I believe that such CBMs should happen on a regular basis to build confidence in each other. The State government has shown its intent by organising such an interaction at the right time,” said Lawrence Liang, who is associated with Alternative Law Forum.