BENGALURU: Bahutva Karnataka, a coalition of progressive groups and individuals, has alleged that the perpetrators of violence in connection with the Hijab controversy are members of Hindutva organisations with allegiance to the RSS. Addressing a press conference on Friday, forum members said their visits to some of the places where communal violence took place revealed this.
“The perpetrators of violence are members of Hindutva organisations such as Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, Sri Ram Sene and Sri Ram Sene Hindustan, which are known to have allegiance with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In many cases, Hindutva groups have interfered in love relationships and friendships and attempted to enforce social segregation.
The statewide incidents of students wearing saffron shawls and saffron turbans in colleges appear to be coordinated, with evidence emerging of Hindutva organisations coaxing, exhorting and even threatening youth,” a press release issued by the forum stated.
The members said the educational institutions have, unfortunately, become the latest centres of violence, with Muslim women’s right to observe their religious practice of wearing a hijab suddenly facing violent opposition. “These events are tearing apart the multicultural and syncretic fabric of Karnataka,” they said.
The forum has demanded the government restore the rightful place of all enrolled students in their classrooms without discrimination and as per the constitution while ensuring protection to Muslim students, who have been allegedly targeted in the recent hate campaigns.