Breakdown of law and order in Karnataka: Renuka
February 8, 2009 – 5:46 am|
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NEW DELHI: Criticising the BJP government in Karnataka for the Mangalore incidents, women and child development minister Renuka Chowdhury on
Saturday said that there was a “breakdown” of law and order in the state where “Talibanisation” is happening.
In a warning to the state government, she said: “All instruments of democracy will be used to stop such incidents.”
Commenting on Friday’s kidnapping of the daughter of a Kerala MLA and her Muslim male friend from a bus in Mangalore allegedly by activists of Sri Ram Sene, Chowdhury said: “The state government is not in control of the law and order situation. Talibanisation is happening. There is a clean communal divide where a Hindu girl is prevented from talking to a Muslim boy. It is a very dangerous trend.”
“There is a breakdown of law and order in Karnataka and I think we should look at it as a national security problem,” she added.
Asked why the Centre was not intervening, she said the government is “respecting Centre-state ties” but nobody should think that it is “weak or cannot do anything”. “We are repeatedly warning the state government that they should take cognisance. When it is necessary we will take a step.”
Referring to the recent attack by Sene activists on women in a Mangalore pub, she said the issue should not be diluted by saying that it is only about “pub culture”. “It is a much deeper rot. Today it is a pub, tomorrow if you are sitting in the staircase in front of your house, they will come and slap you. It is fascism, there is an attempt to spread an ideology of hatred in Karnataka, an attempt to bring a communal divide,” Chowdhury said.
Slamming the BJP-led regime, she said: “It is fascism supported by a state government that we need to be concerned about.”
Voicing apprehension that similar incidents may take place on Valentine’s Day, she said: “I have no confidence on the state government…I am watching the situation… I am still giving a long rope to the state government. I will talk to the CM.”
CPM too accused the Karnataka government of partronising elements who are attacking minorities and women in the state. Reacting to reports of kidnapping and attack on a CPM MLA’s daughter, the party said such attacks on minorities and women were taking place in Karnataka due to the “patronage, if not connivance” of the state government.
“It is the fascist agenda of the Sangh Parivar and the Hindutva brigade of targeting minorities and women’s rights in the name of culture which has spawned such criminal elements. They act with impunity because of the patronage if not connivance of the BJP-led government of Karnataka,” CPM politburo said.