Communal flare-ups: Kumaraswamy asks Karnataka CM to call meeting of religious leaders

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday urged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to call a meeting of religious leaders of all communities at Vidhana Soudha here, and send out a clear message to the society, amid the recent communal flare-ups in the state. He also asked people to be cautious about BJP and Congress, as he hit out at both national parties for disturbance of peace and harmony in the state.

"....the issue of use of loudspeakers (at mosques) and sound pollution has started now, there was no such issue till now, and deadlines are being set. Where are we heading to? A meeting of religious heads or of all communities like- Hindu gurus, Muslim maulvis and Christian missionaries- should be held at Vidhan Soudha, so as to send out a clear message," Kumaraswamy said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said taking their advice, the government has to announce a clear stand, aimed at maintaining communal harmony and peace in the state.


Some Hindu outfits have been demanding that the loudspeakers on mosques should be removed and the Supreme Court's order on noise pollution be implemented. They have also threatened to play Bhajan every morning if the loudspeakers from mosques are not removed.

There have been a series of communal issues that have rocked the State in the past few months. It started with the hijab row, followed by calls to ban non-Hindu traders from Hindu religious fairs, and then a campaign to boycott halal meat and shutting down of loudspeakers at mosques.

Accusing both national parties-Congress and BJP- of trying to disturb peace and harmony, Kumaraswamy asked people to be cautious about their "drama" and take a clear stand against them. PTI KSU ROH ROH