Curb politically motivated vigilantism

Mangaluru: Condemning growing incidents of moral policing, two prominent NGOs, Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development and the Karwane-e-Mohabbat team have submitted a memorandum to the Mangaluru city Police Commissioner to take strict action against politically and communally motivated vigilantism in the district. Vidya Dinker and Shabeer Ahamed submitted the memorandum on Monday. This memorandum was submitted in the wake of a 23-year-old Muslim man, who was travelling with a woman from another religion on a bus, was allegedly stabbed by members of the Bajrang Dal on April 1. This is the fourth such case of moral policing since March 2021.

According to the memorandum, vigilantism in the name of preventing 'Love Jihad' and cattle trafficking, innocent citizens were being targeted by the 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.