[Reader-list] Cracking down on ‘violations of moral code’ in Dakshina Kannada

[Rohan DSouza]

Dear All,

This particular article on the front page of yesterday's Bangalore edition
of the Hindu, caught my attention. This was for various reasons, the main
one being of complete disgust in the way in which people from different
communities are being forced not to interact with each other in the Dakshina
Kannada district of Karnataka.

When reading the report carefully, one also notices with some intrigue, two
of the bed fellows of this moral brigade, ie, the right wing militant
Bajrang Dal and Social Action Committee, a Christian organisation. While the
Bajrang Dal is known to specifically target members of the Christian
community in other parts of India, (the recent attacks in Orissa come to
mind), in the instances mentioned here there is an actual coming together of
interests and corresponding action, of these organisations claiming to
represent the two communities.

While I subscribe to the fact that the Bajrang Dal and the Social Action
Committee cannot be seen as sole representatives of Hindu and Christian
interests, it will still be worth looking at the social situation in this
region, which could tolerate something like this. The  Mangalorean Christian
(Roman Catholic) community have been supporters of the Sangh organisations,
especially the BJP. This seems to stem from the notion of their Brahmanical
past (pre-conversion by the Portugese) as well as present, within the
Christian community set up. Casteist (Hindu & Chrisitian in this case)
feelings and bonds based on this seem to have superceded differences of
religion here! Incidentally, similar notions of Brahmanical ancestry and
superiority can also observed among the Syrian Christian community in
neighbouring Kerala.

The coming together of the Hindu and the Chrisitian community, as far as
aggressively expressing their political, social and moral preferences in
this region, have ensured members of both communities dont interact with
Muslims. This seeems to be designed to polarise and communalise the region
(the Gujarat model, that CM Yediyurappa fawns over, in action?).

The members (ex?) of the Islamic organisation, Karnataka Forum for Dignity,
also seem to be playing along with this polarisation. The result of which
will probably be a splintered social situation, with the Hindus and
Christians on one side of the divide and the Muslims on the other. This has
earlier led to riots in this region and one can surely expect more.

Taking advantaged of sentiments, emotions, based on actions, reactions and
counter actions, seems to be the modus operandi of the three organisations
mentioned in the article.

Being distant as well as close, geographically and genetically, to Dakshina
Kannada, has made me want to comment on this. However, this may be an
incomplete reading of the situation. Therefore would welcome comments,
thoughts on this.

Regards,
Rohan

http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/07/stories/2008090750160100.htm

*Cracking down on 'violations of moral code' in Dakshina Kannada * Sudipto
Mondal * In most cases, young men and women have been targeted *  — file
Photo: K.R. Deepak

* Watched: Young people such as these have become victims of the vigorously
enforced 'moral code' in Dakshina Kannada. *

MANGALORE: Self-appointed vigilante groups are cracking down on those
"violating the moral code" in Dakshina Kannada district. Records with the
district police that *The Hindu *had access to show that since the third
week of July there have been 10 instances of these groups punishing
individuals whom they perceived as having violated the moral code.

Hindutva organisations such as the Bajrang Dal, a Christian organisation
Social Action Committee, as well as certain individuals who were formerly
with the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), have been involved in these
incidents.

In most of the incidents the groups have targeted young men and women from
different communities who were interacting with each other. In one case, a
young woman was attacked because she went to the house of a young woman from
a different community.

The Bajrang Dal has claimed responsibility for seven of these incidents. *,
*The district head of the organisation, Sudarshan Moodabidri, claimed that
the outfit had "solved" over 200 cases in the last two months where Hindus
were "caught" committing the "immoral" act of interacting with members of
other communities.

Mr. Moodabidri said, "Sometimes it becomes necessary to use force. Fear of
such action should deter such misadventures. Girls reform themselves once
they are thrashed and humiliated in public, but boys are tougher to
control."

The Social Action Committee carried out a "joint operation" with Bajrang Dal
activists in the city in one instance. "We will carry out more such
strikes," its president Deepak D'Mello told *The Hindu*.

Former activists of the KFD have been linked to two such cases. The
organisation's president Abdul Aziz said that the acts were committed by
delinquent members and distanced KFD from the issue. He confirmed that the
organisation was against inter-community relationships but was averse to
using force.

The latest incident occurred on September 2 at Vittla in Bantwal taluk where
activists of the Bajrang Dal assaulted a couple, Roopashree and Vikhar
Ahmed, and paraded them in public. The same afternoon, over 60 km away in
Puttur taluk, Bajrang Dal activists stormed the house of Ayesha as her
friend Divya was visiting her.

On September 1, Sugandhi and her three friends, Raghav, Anil and Rasheed,
were assaulted by Bajrang Dal activists when they were at a hotel in the
heart of Mangalore city. On August 24, Deepa and her fiancé Abdul Waheed
were dragged out of a bus at a junction in the city and assaulted by Bajrang
Dal activists.

On the afternoon of August 23, Bajrang Dal activists assaulted and abused
classmates Julia, Robert, Waheed, Abdul and Sunil because they were found
laughing and talking loudly in a public place.

On August 22, activists of the Bajrang Dal and the Social Action Committee
carried out the "joint operation" against Mohammed and his classmate
Catherine. On August 18, activists claiming to be from the KFD assaulted
Dinesh and his friend Afshan at a remote village 25 km from the city. They
were assaulted because Dinesh had brought medicines for Afshan who was
suffering from malaria.

On August 8, activists of the Bajrang Dal assaulted Syed, Zulfikar and Ameen
with soda bottles and hooks in a bus in the heart of the city because they
had carried school bags belonging to a group of Hindu girls.

On July 27, activists claiming to be from the KFD attacked Govind, an
autorickshaw driver at a village over 25 km from Mangalore because he often
ferried his neighbours Uzma and Shaheen in his auto. On July 16, Rehman was
heard talking and laughing loudly at a public place with his two friends Uma
and Bhavya. They were assaulted and abused by Bajrang Dal activists.

Superintendent of Police N. Sateesh Kumar said, "This is a social issue.
Resistance to such divisive forces should come from within the community. In
cases where there have been assaults we have taken the necessary action."

(Names of the victims have been changed to protect their identity)