Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 20: A fact-finding committee led by Rajya Sabha MP Naseer Hussain has submitted a preliminary report to KPCC president and deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, citing multiple reasons behind the communal violence in Karnataka’s coastal belt, particularly in Udupi and Mangaluru. The report highlights political motives, religious mafia, drug trade, police inaction, and rapid spread of misinformation on social media as the primary causes.
The KPCC Truth-Finding Committee was constituted to investigate the recent communal killings in coastal Karnataka. During visits to Udupi and Mangaluru, the committee identified several key factors contributing to rising tensions in the region.
The report asserts that religion-based politics by BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders is one of the major reasons behind the surge in communal violence. It also notes that secular parties like the Congress have not maintained clarity on the issue, which has indirectly contributed to the unrest. The exploitation of religious identity for political gains is stated to be a dangerous trend fuelling conflict.
The committee found that the influence of religious separation is deepening in the coastal belt, with many youth and religious leaders from both Hindu and Muslim communities supporting divisive ideologies. Festivals are increasingly celebrated in ways that deliberately aim to outdo those of the other religion, intensifying religious animosity. The rise in moral policing, driven by religious fanaticism, has further worsened tensions.
The report sheds light on the presence of various mafias-including those dealing in drugs, marijuana, sand, and extortion-which thrive in the region and contribute to communal disturbances. It identifies cattle meat trade and goondaism as additional aggravating factors. Alarmingly, both Hindu and Muslim outfits are said to be receiving support from local residents as well as external forces, eroding communal harmony.
The report criticises police inaction in preventing and controlling communal incidents. It also points to the rapid spread of misinformation and fake news on social media platforms as a significant reason for escalating violence and disturbing peace in the region.
The preliminary report was submitted to KPCC president D K Shivakumar at the KPCC office on Thursday. Committee members present during the submission included KPCC working president Manjunath Bhandary, former minister Kimmane Rathnakar, KPCC vice-president V R Sudarshan, and former MP Jayaprakash Hegde.