Muslims seek meeting with other communities to maintain peace

Urging the police to have frequent meetings with community representatives, leaders of Muslim Jamat from different parts of the city expressed the need for joint meeting with representatives of other communities to resolve contentious issues.

This came about during the meeting of Police Commission N. Shashi Kumar with over 50 Muslim religious leaders and Jamat representatives in his office on Monday. The meeting was held in the light of messages floating in the social media that Muslims have called for a protest in the city, similar to the one held in 2019, against the recent statement by BJP spokespersons on Prophet Mohammed.

While clarifying that they are not intending to hold any protest, the leaders appreciated the initiative of the city police to call representatives of different Jamats and hear them. “We urged the police to hold joint meetings of our community and other community representatives, which will further strengthen the process of ensuring peace when contentions issues prop up,” said Mumtaz Ali, Vice President of Muslim Central Committee and Secretary of Krishnapura Jamat.

Hyder Parthpady from Karnataka Muslim Jamat said that they have assured police they will take no steps leading to breach of peace in the city. “But similar steps should be taken by other communities, which only ensures peace in the society,” he said.

Among the other points that the leaders pointed include strengthening monitoring of social media and taking effective action on those who are trying to circulate fake messages and creating communal unrest. They also asked police to have a better approach with people visiting the police station. Perception of isolation and non-inclusion among the Muslim youth should be effectively redressed, they urged.

While thanking the leaders for maintaining peace in Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kumar said the city police has stepped up social media monitoring and action is being taken against persons who are trying to disturb peace. He urged leaders not to be carried away by fake messages calling upon community to hold protests.

Mr. Kumar said police stations in the city have started forming youth committees at each police station. Steps are being taken to reach out to youth and dissuade them disturbing peace in the district, he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Hariram Shankar, DCP (Crime) B.P. Dinesh Kumar; Assistant Commissioners of Police P.A. Hedge, Mahesh Kumar, Ravish Naik and Geetha Kulkarni, and inspectors from different police stations attended the meeting.