Bangalore Violence gave fodder to media in the time of “News Desert”

The media outlets were hungry. Their reports on cases of Corona against Delhi's Jamaat had almost ended and so had their act of stigmatizing Muslims for the corona outbreak.

Violence
Bengaluru Violence provided fodder for the 'News Hungry' Media Outlets

A group of people had gone on to file a complaint against Naveen, nephew of Pulakeshi Nagar, Bangalore Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy who had put up a derogatory post about Prophet Muhammad. It is also said that, in the meantime, a campaign had been started on social networking sites against MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy for the act of his nephew.

Amidst these developments, a group of people had gathered in front of MLA Akhand Srinivasa Murthy’s house at night. In a matter of few hours, the situation turned violent when a section amongst them started pelting stones on MLA’s house and did set up the vehicles around on fire. Not only did the situation worsen but the police tried their best to bring the situation under control.

Meanwhile, MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy appealed to the public through a video. He requested that “the public should not resort to violence for the mischief of the miscreants and to maintain peace in the tense situation and stated that anyone who had sinned had to be punished”.

By then, the situation had turned violent. The mob had started pelting stones at police and the police stations which ensured that the situation would not turn better.

At this point, the police had requested MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan and Rizwan Arshad to intervene. Though both the leaders did their best to convince and pacify the rioters, the situation was out of control by then. It is being said that Zameer Ahmed Khan was also slightly injured during the incident. To control the riots, the police pulled out tear gas and took to Fire at the rioters.

3 people were killed in the police firing.

What could have been done?

The derogation of the Prophet is reprehensible. A smaller group of 5-10 people could have filed a case. Nobody must resort to violence and destroy public property or affect the lives of the common men.

The true followers of the Prophet (PBUH) are never the ones who take to violence and destruction. They do not even advocate for it. Our Muslim brothers stood to guard the nearby temple by forming a human chain when stones were being pelted and this is the idea that Prophet stood for.

The media outlets were hungry. Their reports on cases of Corona against Delhi’s Jamaat had almost ended and so had their act of stigmatizing Muslims for the corona outbreak. However, after a few days, when Kannada News Channels had to face the fact that Corona was spreading without any limitations of religion or community, they were in dire need of a ‘Breaking News’.

Read About: Violence in Bengaluru over Controversial Social Media Post

On the whole, this incident must not have happened. However, despite the widespread circulation of derogatory posts on social networking sites about Prophet, why did the government fail to sense the issue? Why did the police delay the process of filing an FIR? Where is the Intelligence Department in these times? Why was the deployment of more cops delayed even though the riot lasted about 3 hours? All these questions remain unanswered.

— Nazia Kauser (Young Journalist. Views are Personal)

Translated from Kannada to English by Shashank SR

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March 2024
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