BENGALURU: Members of several civil society groups will be holding statewide protests, including an agitation at Mysore Bank Circle in the city at 11 am on Thursday, demanding that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai act against incidents of moral policing and withdraw his recent “action-reaction” statement on moral policing incidents in Karnataka.
“With an increasing number of attacks in the name of religion and caste, and extremist groups indulging in violence, the state was expected to ensure an immediate stop to such violence and take action against such groups. Instead, the Chief Minister has made a statement which justifies the ‘goondagiri’ and makes it seem like it is wrong for the youth of different castes or religions to be friends or fall in love,” a statement from the protesting groups read.
Vinay Sreenivasa, advocate with Alternative Law Forum said, “Moral policing incidents lead to segregation based on identity. The CM has an allegiance to constitutional morality and not someone’s perception of morality. If he cannot uphold his oath, he must resign.” “We will not allow Karnataka to become a land of hate and violence. The CM must take action against the Hindutva goons,” they said.
Recently, when reporters sought his reaction to BJP MLA Umanath Kotian escorting two persons accused in a moral policing incident from a police station after their release on interim bail, Bommai said, “It is a sensitive matter. There are many sentiments in society. One needs to behave in a manner that will not hurt such sentiments. If the sentiments are hurt, then
action and reaction are bound to happen.”