Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, July 9: Home minister Dr G Parameshwara announced that the government is preparing to introduce a separate bill to tackle fake news, with the draft already ready. The bill will be tabled in the upcoming legislative session, he said after attending the District peace committee meeting held at the Zilla Panchayat on Wednesday.

The meeting saw participation from MLAs, doctors, religious leaders, educational institution representatives, writers, intellectuals, academy heads, Muslim community leaders, and other prominent figures.

Speaking to the media, Dr Parameshwara said, “Along with the fake news bill, we are also working on strengthening laws related to hate speech. The Peace Committee meeting was successful — we intended to send a strong message while initiating meaningful changes. We received several valuable suggestions during the discussions and will consider them carefully before making decisions.”

He warned that police would take stricter action if law and order violations continued. “Problems arise when individuals take the law into their own hands. In cases such as illegal cow transportation, people should inform the police instead of acting on their own,” he stressed.

When asked about criticism of the government’s guarantee schemes, he responded, “These are flagship programmes for which a dedicated budget has been allocated. We considered the financial implications and thoroughly discussed the pros and cons before implementation. As for criticism, everyone is entitled to their opinion.”

Dr Parameshwara clarified that the peace committee meeting was not intended to portray Dakshina Kannada in a negative light. “Dakshina Kannada is a district known for its educational, medical, and IT excellence, and is a cradle of the banking sector. The people here are not only educated but globally recognised for their contributions.”

He further added, “When I visited Dakshina Kannada to prepare the party manifesto, the overwhelming feedback was the need to maintain communal harmony. In the past, people here were not identified by religion or caste. Sadly, the current divisive situation is man-made. We need to acknowledge this and take corrective steps. We are all aware of the proud history of this district.”

Regarding the growing drug menace, Dr Parameshwara said, “The chief minister has declared a war against drugs. We will not allow Karnataka to become another ‘Udta Punjab.’ So far, 2,500 drug-related cases have been filed, and 500 kg of ganja seized. I also commend the former Police Commissioner for cracking a major drug case involving Rs 80 crore in Bengaluru. Rest assured, we will control the drug menace.”

He emphasised the role of educational institutions in this effort: “I have instructed the police commissioner to ensure every institution forms an anti-drug committee. If any drug-related incident occurs on campus, the institution — including the principal — will be held accountable.”

Dr Parameshwara also addressed other governance issues, stating, “We will soon discuss mining and the implementation of the sand policy. We urge people to obtain proper licences for red stone quarrying and trade; we are not looking to stop legal businesses.”

Concluding his address, he said, “If there is unanimous agreement, we are willing to organise a Souhardha Rally involving leaders from all communities and religions — a suggestion that came up during the Peace Committee meeting.”

He urged everyone to cooperate with the district administration, stating, “If the district administration functions efficiently, most problems can be resolved smoothly.”

District leaders speak

District in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “The recent incident in Dakshina Kannada is a black mark on the district. No one wants such events to occur, as everyone desires peace to be restored. While 98% of people prefer harmony, unrest is often caused by the remaining 2%. Unfortunately, when untoward incidents occur, it’s the innocent who suffer. We will not compromise in taking action against those responsible. Political agendas should not lead to conflict and hatred. There has been no situation that warrants violence or murder, and we must ensure such incidents are not repeated. Peace must prevail.”

Speaker U T Khader emphasised, “This meeting should serve as a foundation for restoring peace in the district. Everyone must be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

MP Capt Brijesh Chowta remarked, “Whenever there's a failure in law and order, the government should not blame the people of this district. It is disappointing that key figures such as the priest of Kateel Temple and former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel were not invited to the peace committee meeting. Habitual criminal activities stem from illegal operations. Implementing the sand policy remains a challenge in the district, and there are corrupt officials in the mines department. The government must ensure the public can trust that police investigations are conducted fairly.”

Community voices and demands

Maulana Abdul Aziz Chokkabettu said, “We do not support criminals. If anyone from our community is involved in illegal activities, we must strongly condemn it. In today’s meeting, people of all religions and castes spoke to each other with respect. Why can’t this same harmony be reflected in society? If so, our community will be stronger.”

CPM leader Muneer Katipalla urged the home minister to ensure that individuals making provocative remarks are not quickly released by the courts.

Participants stressed the need for:

• Avoiding the projection of accused individuals as leaders of specific religions

• Preventing artists, including those in Yakshagana, from defaming other religions or castes

• Strengthening the cybercrime department

• Encouraging religious leaders to monitor social media within their communities

• Long-term solutions to prevent unrest

• Tackling the drug mafia

• Ensuring no political interference in policing and giving full autonomy to the police

BJP MLAs Harish Poonja, Vedavyas Kamath, and Dr Bharath Y Shetty highlighted that when religious sentiments are hurt, conflicts become inevitable. They stressed the need to address issues like love jihad, illegal cattle trafficking, and the drug mafia. They argued that while provocative remarks don’t directly cause crimes, such incidents occur when people feel their beliefs are threatened.

Officials present

Also present were police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, superintendent of police Dr Arun, deputy commissioner Darshan, Zilla Panchayat CEO Narwade Vinayak Kharbari, and other officials.

The meeting ended with a unanimous call for upholding communal harmony, empowering law enforcement, and pursuing long-term, depoliticised solutions to maintain Dakshina Kannada’s peaceful and progressive legacy.