'Bommai's neutral statement on moral policing will encourage those involved'

Dakshina Kannada, (Karnataka) Oct 14 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's statement on moral policing in Dakshina Kannada district was condemned by the opposition Congress party and progressive organisations, who apprehend it will encourage the trend in the communally-sensitive coastal region which is also known to be an educational hub.

Bommai on Wednesday stated that "everyone has the responsibility" in connection with incidents of moral policing and stressed that if there is no morality among individuals, there will be actions and reactions.

Answering a question on BJP legislator supporting accused youth of a Hindu outfit taken into custody by police in a moral policing case reported near Mangaluru, he said that moral policing is a sensitive issue. "We all should take responsibility in society. There are certain feelings in the society, one should not hurt those feelings and behave in such way that, it does not hurt feelings of society," he said.

Reacting to the comments, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said: "Bommai, you have accepted your incapability to maintain law and order by justifying moral policing by few anti-social elements. Please resign and save Karnataka."

"Innocent and helpless women are being victims of moral policing. Instead of arresting the elements involved in this, Bommai is protecting them. It is inevitable for Bommai to please Sangh Parivar for being in power. He should not have stooped such low," he added.

Democratic Youth Federation of India state President Munir Katipalla said that Bommai "has turned a blind eye to the goondagiri of Sangh Parivar in Dakshina Kannada district in the name of moral policing".

"Bommai has reacted strongly to the incident and preached on laws in connection with moral policing involving Muslim goondas in Bengaluru. Now, he has taken a u-turn to the incidents of moral policing in Mangaluru, he said.

"'Everyone has the responsibility', 'there will be action and reactions'... these are ready-made dialogues of communal forces. If the Chief Minister who has pledged on the Constitution of India is repeating the same dialogues and supports moral policing, where one should look up to... what will be the future, he asked.

"The communal forces of various organisations will be encouraged by the statements of Chief Minister Bommai and will indulge in more such activities. What will be the situation if groups of another religion get into competition mode? Being a Chief Minister he can't afford to have issued such statement irresponsibly. Chief Minister Bommai should apologise before the public," he demanded.

Congress spokesperson Lavanya Ballal said that Bommai has "forgotten that India functions under constitutional laws and moral policing is beyond the purview of the constitution. Moral policing is the clear violation of the rights and liberties of individuals".

"Bommai need to tell us under what law is vigilantism permitted in India," she asked.

Bommai, however, defended his statement and attacked Siddaramaiah, saying that: "All I said was in our society there will be a reaction to every action and law will take its own course..."