M’lru: Activists submit memorandum to city's top cop against growing number of moral policing cases
Mangaluru: Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development and the Karwane e Mohabbat Team on Monday submitted a memorandum to the city’s Commissioner of Police against the growing incidents of politically and communally motivated vigilantism and moral policing in the city and the district. Vidya Dinker and Shabeer Ahamed submitted memorandum on behalf of two NGO’s.
“In the name of preventing ‘Love Jihad’ and cattle trafficking, innocent citizens are being targeted by enforcer-goons belonging to politically motivated strong-arm outfits. What we see is a worrying daily replay of provocative statements, public shaming, incessant harassment, brutal violence, and infringement of legitimate rights of citizens. Such incidents are reported in the media, shared on social media, lead to tense situations and bring back the climate of fear that had our region in its grip in the not so distant past” the memorandum stated.
It also added that both the state government and the police department have acknowledged the fact that the district is communally sensitive and that it had been reeling under the negative impact of communalism for decades.
“There is a long history of brutal vigilantism and (im)moral policing in this region, particularly targeted at the minority communities and those who don’t conform to the purported code of conduct imagined by anti-social outfits. As a result of continuous efforts on the part of right-thinking citizens and a few district administrators and police officials, we had been able to enjoy a short phase of relative peace in the region. A resurgence of the bad old trend is unacceptable and must be curbed” the memorandum added.
“We must point out that we have brought to the notice of your predecessors time and again that the Hon’ble Supreme Court guidelines must be put in place to bring vigilantism and lynching under control. Refer to our letter of July 6th, 2019 on the matter, several follow up visits in person, your response dated September 12th, 2019, and our detailed reply of November 4th, 2019 (attached) seeking clarity on specific measures taken by your department to implement the Tehseen Poonawala Guidelines set out and concerted preventive action to ensure no instances of lynching, mob violence or cow vigilantism take place here. To this last, we have not had a written response till date, nor any indication of implementation of the Hon’ble Court’s guidelines” it further added.
“However, irrespective of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and through the Circular dated 03/09/2018 issued by the Director-General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka, individuals and leaders of political parties and other outfits have not been deterred from openly advocating violence against minorities from public platforms on the pretext of cow protection. For example, on 29/06/2019, in response to an incident of cow vigilantism, a prominent political leader in the district called for cow vigilantes groups to deal with cow thieves with swords. He said (translated into English), “The stand of the police department in these cases has become questionable. They are saving the cow thieves and are harassing people who tried to stop the cow thieves. We are ready to lay down our lives for the sake of cows and for the sake of Hindutva... If the police cannot take appropriate action against them then we are ready to handle the issue. We know how to deal with these cow thieves. We know how to reply [to] them with their own swords which they use for stealing the cows”. No action has been taken against him for his statements. Speeches such as these that have been made aplenty in the past in the Dakshina Kannada region, encourage violent acts of vigilantism, not only against minorities but also against policemen. We are once again hearing more such provocative hate speech in the district” it noted.
“We now earnestly urge all the institutions of governance like the District Administration and the Police Department to take serious note of this current resurgence and come up with an immediate and effective response to curb the anti-social forces, establish rule of law and restore the civil rights of the people. Any delay and negligence on the part of the administration will only result in matters getting out of hand yet again. We hope you realize the gravity of the situation and immediately take positive steps to implement the Court's detailed directions in a sincere manner. We also seek that immediate steps be taken for identification of the groups orchestrating this lawlessness and those involved in perpetrating these incidents of (im)moral and/or communal policing, vigilantism, violence and communal hate crimes, including hate speech” the memorandum concluded.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
