India: Writers and Intellectuals Criticize Government Ban on Muharram Events in Karnataka

India: Writers and Intellectuals Criticize Government Ban on Muharram Events in Karnataka
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The Karnataka government’s decision to impose restrictions on Muharram-related events in several villages across Ballari and Raichur districts has drawn sharp criticism from writers, thinkers, and community leaders, The Hindu reported. The bans, introduced by district administrations citing concerns over law and order, prohibit public gatherings, processions, and installation of symbolic structures (Panjas) in areas deemed communally sensitive.

Deputy Commissioners Prashant Kumar Mishra (Ballari) and K. Nitish (Raichur) invoked the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, following intelligence reports warning of potential tensions during Muharram observances in 21 villages in Ballari and 23 in Raichur. Officials emphasized these are precautionary measures, not blanket bans, aimed at preventing threats to public safety, referencing past clashes involving youth from different communities.

However, critics argue that Muharram, a month of mourning commemorating Imam Hussain’s martyrdom (peace be upon him), is a festival promoting communal harmony. In many parts of northern Karnataka, both Muslims and Hindus participate in Muharram rituals, exemplifying peaceful coexistence. Janekal village in Raichur, with no Muslim residents, traditionally invites a Muslim family to conduct Muharram rites, though the festival was banned there after unrelated communal violence in 2013.

Writers like Lohia Chanabasavanna and activists such as Ladai Basu decry the bans as regressive and influenced by right-wing elements, urging the government to bolster security instead of curbing cultural events. Former Vice-Chancellor Sabiha Bhoomi Gowda and theatre personality Dadasaheb Chougale stress Muharram’s role in uniting communities rather than dividing them.

Thinker Rahamat Tarikere highlights the festival’s potential for reconciliation and warns against collective cultural punishment due to isolated incidents. Community leaders call on the government to uphold secularism, equality, and liberalism by allowing Muharram observances to continue peacefully.