Minority Commission recommends ban on communal organizations

New Delhi, Oct 5 : The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has suggested a ban on organizations which are responsible for breakdown of communal harmony in its report submitted to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh a few days back. The Commission, in its report on attacks on churches of Karnataka, said, "The state must keep a close watch on the activities of all such organisations that have contributed to the breakdown of communal harmony there."

"Remedial action, including a ban and prosecution should be initiated. Communal harmony should be maintained at all costs," it added.

The Commission's Chairman, Mohamed Shafi Qureshi visited the trouble-torn areas like Mangalore, Bangalore and Udupi between September 16 and September 18 to assess the situation after attacks on Christians and their places of worship there.

The report stated that the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Udupi District told NCM that all the 17 persons arrested in the district for violence belong to Bajrang Dal.

The Bangalore administration told the NCM that of the 83 persons lodged in judicial custody in connection with the communal clashes, 36 of them belonged to the Bajrang Dal, according to the report.

A team of NCM had been appointed by the Centre on September 16 to make an on the spot assessment of the attacks on churches and prayer halls in different parts of Karnataka. The team led by its Chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi visited all churches damaged in the attacks in Udupi, Chikmagalur, and Dakshina Kannada districts of the state. It also visited Mangalore.

Earlier, NCM had asked for a report from the Karnataka Government on the attacks on churches immediately after the violence broke out.

On September 14, violence erupted in Karnataka following attacks on churches and prayer halls by suspected Hindu activists over alleged forcible conversion.

So far, more than 270 people have been arrested for the violence in Karnataka.

ANI