Communally sensitive tag sought for coastal districts in Karnataka

In the wake of growing number of incidents of communal trouble in the three coastal districts of Karnataka, the State Minorities Commission has urged the Federal Government and State Government to declare the coastal area of the State as “communally sensitive” areas.

Commission’s Chairman K S Mohammed Masood told reporters that declaration of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttar Kannada as “communally sensitive” areas will ensure that more attention is paid to the region by police forces to avert any untoward incidents.

Mangalore and its outskirts in Dakshina Kannada witnessed communal violence a month ago, leading to the loss of two lives and property worth several million rupees. “If special attention is not paid, the situation may worsen in the region”, Masood cautioned.

Though no area in the entire nation has been given such a tag, Masood said the Commission favours such a proposal for coastal Karnataka to ensure that communal problems do not recur in these regions.

A special police force, modeled along the lines of the anti-naxal force of Karnataka, should be created and deployed in the specific areas, where communal clashes had taken place repeatedly.

The Karnataka Minorities Commission is scheduled to submit its report on the communal violence in Mangalore to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on November 18. Masood cited transportation of cattle as the main reason for the communal violence in Mangalore. He said the Commission would discuss the matter with religious leaders of both the communities, besides political leaders in a bid to thrash out a solution.

Masood also said that the Commission, during its probe, had found out that the police had arrested a total of 180 innocent people and 83 of them had been sent to Bellary jail. Two persons had died while five people had sustained serious injuries in the violence.

The Commission will communicate to the State Government on the need to depute minorities in the police and administration to ensure a secular set-up.