5 months ago
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Mandya, traditionally not considered a communally-sensitive region, dissimilar the coastal districts, reported much than fractional of the communal riots successful Karnataka implicit the past 2 years. Of 54 cases booked successful the State during this period, 29 cases (53.7%) were successful Mandya.
Data, presented successful the precocious concluded Karnataka Legislature Session, shows it peaked successful 2024, an predetermination year, with 24 of the full 34 cases reported from Mandya. In 2025, the territory reported 5 cases. Mandya is the lone territory that has reported communal riots some the years.
These see the quality implicit the incidental of hoisting a tricolour aft removing a saffron emblem astatine Keregodu (a tract that Union Minister and incumbent MP of the constituency H.D. Kumaraswamy visited donning a saffron shawl), communal riots implicit Ganesha idol immersion successful Nagamangala successful 2024 and Maddur successful 2025, and Hanuman Jayanthi processions taken to Jumma Masjid successful Srirangapatna, among others.
Warning signs
“This information is shocking. For Mandya to relationship for much than fractional of communal riots successful Karnataka indicates a deliberate socio-political experimentation being afoot successful the district,” said writer Rajendra Prasad from Mandya. BJP and JD(S) entered into an confederation successful 2024, up of the Lok Sabha elections.
C. Kumari, wide secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Mandya, argued that the deficiency of ideological clarity among Congress leaders has contributed to the deterioration of the societal cloth successful the district. “Ganesha festival has deliberately been weaponised with large DJ euphony targeting minorities. This year, portion determination was astir a escaped rein for procession successful Maddur, which yet led to communal tension, determination were truthful galore hurdles created for a societal harmony rally that progressive organisations successful the territory had planned,” she said.
While sources successful the BJP region themselves from communal riots, strategists successful the enactment said that the enactment was wide that the road to Old Mysore and Vokkaliga ballot basal for the enactment successful the State was done Mandya. “We person precise bully effect successful Mandya and we volition decidedly turn there,” said a elder leader.
BJP trying to capitalise connected the Jumma Masjid successful Srirangapatna is not new. The Sangh Parivar has been trying it for astir 2 decades, but it has gained spot aft an confederation with JD(S).
Special Action Force
Earlier this month, Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced that Special Action Force (SAF) to curb communal unit volition beryllium deployed successful Mandya, connected the lines of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Shivamogga districts. However, it is simply a “police solution to a socio-political problem,” accidental activists. This unit is to proactively cod quality of instances that tin provoke breach of bid and assistance the territory constabulary nip it successful the bud.
However, a elder constabulary authoritative said that portion a constabulary effect unsocial cannot lick the contented of communalism, it was an important portion of countering it. “The resoluteness of the constabulary enactment to enactment some proactively and swiftly during and aft an lawsuit volition decidedly assistance curb communal riots,” the serviceman said.
Preventive action
Data tabled by the Home Minister, responding to the aforesaid question raised by BJP MLC D.S. Arun, shows determination has been an summation successful cases registered for fake news, hatred code and implicit provocative messages from 2024 to 2025.
The information shows a imaginable correlation betwixt the fig of cases of these crimes and communal riots. For instance, Bengaluru constabulary booked 58 cases implicit fake news, 34 cases implicit hatred speech, and 25 implicit provocative messages. Kodagu constabulary booked 13 cases implicit fake news, 35 cases implicit hatred speech, and 19 cases implicit provocative code successful 2024 and 2025. Both districts reported nary communal riots successful some years. In comparison, Mandya booked lone 4 cases implicit fake news, 1 lawsuit implicit hatred speech, and 15 cases implicit provocative code during the aforesaid period.
A elder constabulary authoritative said that a SAF successful Mandya volition assistance successful specified interventions.
