Sunni Co-ordination Karnataka Demands Judicial Inquiry of Police Firing in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: “The police have targetted the Muslim community during the protest against NRC and CAA. Those responsible for the violence including the police who fired at the protesters should be punished. A judicial inquiry should be done in this case and the CM should provide compensation to the victims’ families”, demanded SYS Karnataka State General Secretary Dr M S Zaini Kamil Sakhafi in a press meet held at Hotel Ocean Pearl here on December 26.
Addressing the mediapersons Dr Zaini said, “In the past, we had organized various programmes and protests and the administration has appreciated our discipline in organizing the events. In a democracy, every citizen has the right to protest against injustice and it is common. After the implementation of NRC and CAA in our country, various organizations throughout the country including Dakshina Kannada are protesting. For some organizations, permission to protest was denied which shows that the police are trying to stop a particular community from protesting against their rights. If the police would have allowed the people to protest such an incident would not be occurred. The police unnecessarily resorted to lathi-charge on the protesters after which the situation turned violent. Later the police shot at the protesters and two innocent lives were lost.”
Zaini further said, “On December 19, the police unnecessarily resorted to lathi-charge and created fear among the people who were at the bus stop, fish market area and near the DC office. Now the police are using the media to hide the truth. The media should reveal the truth behind the incident”.
Addressing the mediapersons Qazi, Al-Haj P M Ibrahim Musliyar Bekal said, “Muslims are peace lovers and do not encourage violence. But on December 19, the police targetted the Muslims and assaulted them. Instead of providing safety the police instigated people to turn violent. In a democratic country, everyone has the right to protest and that is what the Muslims did. But last week the police resorted to lathi-charge on the protesters and later in the police firing two persons lost their lives and many others were injured. The police had purposely fired at the protesters. We demand a judicial probe in this case.”
General Secretary of Karnataka Muslim Jamath Mumtaz Ali said, “Why did the police release the videos of the recent incidents to the media after collecting from the public? This sends a wrong message about Muslims to society. In the police firing, two innocent people lost their lives. When we met the CM in Mangaluru he assured of providing Rs 10 lakh compensation to the deceased families but now the compensation has been withdrawn. Rs 10 lakh is not a big amount for our community, but once the CM announced the compensation it should not have been withdrawn.”
President of Sunni Co-ordination Hamza Sakhafi also spoke on the occasion. District General Secretary of SJU Muhiyuddin Kamil Sakhafi, SSF state secretary Yakoob Sahadi Navoor, SFF leader Abdul Hameed Bajpe and Abdul Rehman Kalkatta were also present.
