By Waquar Hasan
NEW DELHI – A lawyer group on Monday filed a complaint with Karnataka’s Director General of Police (DGP) and Tumakur’s Superintendent of Police (SP) seeking registration of FIR against Hindutva leaders for making communal statements against Muslims at an open meeting on Friday.
All India Lawyer’s Association for Justice (AILAJ), which strives to protect the values of the Constitution and Human Rights, filed a complaint against Basavaraj, state convener of Vishwa Hindu Prishad, and Ullas, state secretary of Hindu Jagaran Vedike.
The complaint cited the provocative statements made by Basavaraj and Ullas which call for violence against Muslims.
“I am giving a warning to all goonda bad Muslim jihadis if Hindu community hold weapons in their hands, there won’t even be any place to bury you, we are giving you a warning in this fashion. Listen, you of Hindu community,” Basavaraj was quoted by the complaint as saying.
Ullas also is talking about resorting to violence to teach lessons to Muslims and to protect Hindu Dharma.
“We will resort to violence, if need be, to protect Hindu Dharma. We will teach ‘Jihadi terrorists’ a lesson. A young brigade will be formed to counter any attack on dharma and the nation. Organisations like SDPI and PFI have continued their assault on Hindus. After then CM Siddaramaiah withdrew criminal cases against PFI activists, many Hindu activists were murdered,” Ullas was quoted as saying in the complaint.
According to the complaint, the meeting where these statements were given were held by the Hindutva leaders even though the police denied permission. The police were also present at the event. AILAJ also demanded action against the erring police officers as per Karnataka Police Manual for failing to create and maintain a feeling of security in the community.
“The effect of the incident is the creation of communal disharmony and the disruption of public order. It provides a feat to religious extremist outfits to utilize vigilante violence to further their communal goals. The incident entirely upsets the fabric of secularism and fraternity in society, leading marginalized communities to live in fear of the dominant community. There are several videos, pictures and news reports available regarding the incident,” said AILAJ in its complaint.
It also invoked the Supreme Court order which asked the authorities to put a stop to vigilantism.
“There can be no shadow of doubt that the authorities which are conferred with the responsibility to maintain law and order in the states have the principal obligation to see that vigilantism, be it cow vigilantism or any other vigilantism of any perception, does not take place,” the Supreme Court judgment was quoted by the complaint.
AILAJ asks police to book Basavraj and Ullas under IPC sections 143, 145, 153, 153A, 290 r/w 34, 149.
“The incident, if left unpunished and unchecked, is an implicit endorsement to extremist groups to carry out vigilante justice. In the recent past, Karnataka has witnessed growing incidents of moral policing, honour killings, murders, harassment, and communal disharmony. Statements such as those made by Shri Basawaraj and Shri Ullas result in denial of equal citizenship to persons, and lead to discrimination, violence, and ultimately social apartheid. In order to protect the fraternal and peace-loving fabric of our Constitution and society, urgent action is required to be taken against the offenders to restore the faith of the public and the rule of law,” said AILAJ.
This story first appeared on clarionindia.net