Muslim Central Committee boycotts peace meeting

Mangaluru: The Muslim Central Committee Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, boycotted the district peace committee meeting held at the deputy commissioner’s office on Saturday. B M Mumtaz Ali, vice-president, Muslim Central Committee, said that the Muslim Central committee has over 1,000 mosques associated with it, and has always stood for peace in society. The last rites of Mahammed Fazil were also conducted peacefully, he said.

The committee boycotted the meeting, because chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who visited Praveen Nettaru’s house, did not visit the house of Masood B, who was brutally assaulted on July 19, and died on July 21. When the chief minister was in town, another youth, Mahammed Fazil was hacked to death. “Why this discrimination and special treatment towards one youth? In terms of investigation too, only one case has been handed over to the NIA and not the other cases,” he said.

The committee met on Saturday, and decided to provide ex gratia of Rs 30 lakh each, to the kin of Masood and Fazil.

K Ashraf, president Dakshina Kannada Muslim Okoota, said that when the chief minister visited the district, he could have called for a peace committee meeting, and discussed the issues with leaders from all communities.

City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said that on Friday, police officers were asked to get in touch with prominent persons of all religions. “I also got to know that there was a social media campaign asking people not to attend the peace committee meeting held today. Yet, a lot of people have turned up, including prominent leaders of all communities. Parallelly, there was another meeting scheduled at 11 am, by an organisation for Muslims leaders. Some of the leaders have spoken to me, and some to my officers, and expressed their inability to come. District level peace committee meetings are one of the platforms for such issues. Leaders from all communities have assured support to maintain peace. Not attending the meeting does not prevent them from extending support to the police department,” he said.