Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday, December 26 asked how moral policing in Karnataka would stop when Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai gave ‘provocative statements’. Expressing concern over rising cases of moral policing taking a communal hue in Karnataka, the former chief minister highlighted the spate of recent murders in the state especially in the coastal region.
During Zero Hour in the state assembly, Congress MLA and former minister UT Khader raised the issue. He said the recent murder of a 45-year-old Muslim man in Surathkal town of Dakshina Kannada district on Friday night was linked to moral policing.
Joining the discussion, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah accused Bommai himself of giving provocative statements. Siddaramaiah alleged that moral policing is mostly done by the right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal. In this context, he pointed out that a murder had taken place exactly at the location where the Muslim man was killed in Surathkal.
He even claimed that whenever the Chief Minister visited Mangaluru, and its district headquarters town of Dakshina Kannada, murders took place there. "When will this (communal murders) end? Until moral policing is not stopped, this will continue. Further, the Chief Minister himself gives provocative statements 'There is a reaction to every action'. How will this stop if people provoke or speak in a manner supporting such incidents," Siddaramaiah said. He asked what was the need for police and law when moral policing is supported.
Siddaramaiah also alleged that the Chief Minister was discriminating against people while giving compensation to the victims of communal incidents. "The Chief Minister gives compensation when a murder (of a Hindu) takes place while he does not give compensation when a Muslim is murdered. Why is there such discrimination? It's government money. Give compensation to both," the former chief minister said.
He even alleged that the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was used selectively. "Some are booked under UAPA while others involved in similar crimes are not. Book everyone indulged in such crime under UAPA without discrimination," Sidaramaiah demanded the government.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy rejected the charges saying that the police were registering cases under suitable provisions of the law depending on the cases. "When it comes to compensation, we cannot give compensation to criminals. The victim is different and the criminal is different. If someone is a victim, then the government has to give compensation but for those who are involved in various crimes, it cannot be given," Madhuswamy said.
Regarding moral policing issues raised by the Opposition, the minister said the government will stop it. "I don't know whether it is moral policing or immoral policing but we will certainly stop it. We have not given any free hand as has been said by Khader," Madhuswamy said. He further added, "If a crime has taken place, then police will act... We never support any moral policing.”