Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:57:39
+0530
From: Clifton
Friends,
Most of you are aware of the Sangh Parivar’s
attempts to destroy the secular fabric in Karnataka
by targeting the Baba-Datta shrine on Bababudangiri
near Chikmagalur, a shrine that is an example
of syncretic traditions in the state, attracting
people of different faiths. You are also aware
of the role of this present coalition government
in supporting and promoting these activities
of the Sangh Parivar. Now the government has
given permission to the Sangh Parivar to conduct
the Shobha Yatra and about 300 activists of
the Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike who reached
Chikmagalur to protest this have been arrested
today (02.12.2006).
The Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, which is
a coalition of over 200 organizations working
since 2002 to establish communal harmony and
to fight against the agenda of communalism in
Karnataka, has through the years exposed the
Sangh Parivar’s farcical
claims about the shrine, thwarted their intentions
and successfully countered their agenda through
its ideology of aggressive secularism.
The Sangh Parivar has been targeting the shrine
on Bababudangiri with the sole intention of
destroying this tradition in the name of ‘liberating’
the shrine from Muslims. In order to achieve
their narrow sectarian goal, they have been
creating unwanted disputes, putting up historically
untenable and legally unsubstantial arguments.
Further, they have introduced previously non-existent
religious practices like Datta-Mala Abhiyan,
Shobha Yatra and Datta Jayanthi celebrations
every year in the months of October, November
and December. It is obvious that their main
purpose is neither religion nor faith but to
target the Muslim community as ‘outsiders’
who are bent on destroying the ‘Hindu’
tradition and culture.
This year, the BJP has aligned with the Janata
Dal (S) to form a coalition government which
has thus far supported the communal agenda of
the Sangh Parivar. Clear evidence of this was
visible in the first week of October during
the communal violence in and around Mangalore
and in Bababudangiri at the time of the Datta
Mala Abhiyan. In Bababudangiri, the local BJP
MLA, C.T. Ravi led the Sangh Parivar activists
in performing rites in the shrine –
in clear violation of the High Court’s
order.
By contrast activists of the Komu Souharda
Vedike were arrested and prevented from peacefully
protesting and exposing the communal designs
of the present Government. This action of the
present governement is reprehensible and reaffirms
the communal credentials of the so –
called secular JD(S). We are particularly concerned
that this particular action of arresting secular
activists and preventing peaceful protests bodes
ill for
the future of democracy in Karnataka
We request you to write / phone / fax / email
the Chief Minister and the Home Minister demanding
the immediate release of the arrested activists.
We also hope that you would state in most certain
terms your unacceptance of such a communal agenda
of this government especially with regard to
Bababudangiri and the recent Mangalore riots.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy
Ph: 2225 3414 / 22253424
cm@kar.nic.in
Home Minister M.P. Prakash
Ph: 22251798
Internal Ph: 2092489
e-mail: homemin@vsb.kar.nic.in
