BENGALURU: A group of 300 eminent personalities has written an open letter to the State Government, calling for an end to what they called “state-sponsored targeted violence against Muslims, Dalits and Christians, that can have lasting and adverse consequences’’.
Listing the various issues and controversies involving minorities, they said, “As part of the steep rise in attacks against Muslims, the Ram Navami festival offered another opportunity to launch militant marches by Hindutva groups in several areas, with swords and trishuls, blaring provocative music and slogans outside mosques and in Muslim-dominated areas during the holy month of Ramzan, and at the time of breaking of fast, often in the presence of local police. This had an all-India character and Karnataka was one of the states chosen for this display of toxic machismo.’’
Civic activist Kathyayini Chamaraj, human rights activist Kavita Srivastava, academics Jayati Ghosh and Dr Niranjan Aradhya, medical professional Dr Sylvia Karpagam, scientist Dr Veena Shatrugna, academic Dr Mohan Rao and other have signed the letter.
On the caste divisions, the letter said, “Age-old caste practices continue to be maintained and aggravated under the current regime. One the one hand, caste atrocities in the state are on the rise and on the other, basic entitlements such as the post-matric scholarship are being delayed.” "As part of the anti-minority agenda, even Christians have been targeted by the state machinery...,” the letter read.