Under the new state government, communal elements have a free run in Karnataka.

It seems that with the Congress-JD (S) coalition coming to power in Karnataka, extremist Islamist forces are being given a free run.

An inflammatory statement has been made by Vijaypura cleric Tanveer Peera Hashmi in the presence of Shivanand Patil, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare minister. The cleric made a categorical reference and stated that two months later there will be bakrid. He stated that the devil will do evil in the name of cow (a veiled attack at the Hindus for their religious sentiments towards the cow). Giving a threat in the presence of the minister himself, the cleric stated that care should be taken to ensure that with the sacrifice of cow, another sort of sacrifice does not take place. This is an open threat of rioting and killing against Hindus if they happen to speak up against illegal cow slaughter.

It is horrifying how the extremist Islamist elements are being give a free run in the state by the sitting government for political purposes. In the presence of a minister, the cleric had the audacity to say something that is going to have a profound impact on the state’s secular fabric and is capable of creating a dangerous social discord. Cow is considered sacred in Hinduism, and this cleric had the audacity to openly claim there will be cow slaughter again. This shows how Hindu hatred is prevalent in Karnataka. It seems that under the Congress-JD (S) alliance, law and order is going to take a backseat and appeasement will be the only priority.

The cleric’s statement is not only about promoting enmity and discord between Hindus and Muslims in the state. But it is contemptible and horrifying at all levels. While the cleric is openly abetting cow slaughter during bakrid, the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964 bans cow slaughter altogether. Section 4 of the Act unambiguously states that no person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered, or offer or cause to be offered for slaughter or otherwise intentionally kill or offer or cause to be offered for killing any cow or calf of she-buffalo. The Act provides a punishment of imprisonment extending to six months in case of contravention. Moreover, this is a cognisable offence. Not only this, Article 48 of the Constitution of India makes it incumbent upon the state to prohibit cow slaughter. It is shocking how the cleric made specific reference to the sitting minister and told him that he is going to break the law of the land and disrespect the Constitution of India. The minister took it lying down. The problem with the Congress-JD (S) alliance is that they can’t see above vote bank politics and are ready to compromise even the rule of law for garnering votes of a particular community.

The cleric’s statement is not only provocative in the sense that it instigates cow slaughter in order to hurt Hindu feelings but is also horrifying in the sense that he extended a riot and ‘sacrifice’ threat if the Hindus were to oppose cow slaughter. All this in the presence of a Congress minister suggesting that the state government is hands in glove with the extremist elements and the Hindus are left to fend for themselves. Muslim appeasement was the norm during Siddarmaiah regime. However, it seems that the appeased community has now been emboldened and its extremist sections are free to do anything they want with absolute impunity.