The Rise Of Saffronisation In Coastal Karnataka

It was in the 80s that the ideology started to gain steam in the state. The spread of Hindutva along the 320 km-long coastal belt of Karnataka presents an interesting case, one that doesn바카라�t run on similar campaign lines of UP or Gujarat.

The Rise of Hindutva

Parallel with the Ram Mandir movement, right-wing groups saw an opportunity in the visible economic advancement and affluence of minority groups바카라�particularly Muslim traders바카라�post 1991 liberalisation. These groups spun narratives, often pitting Muslims against backward classes who were less prosperous. One such rumour, Professor Muzaffar Assadi notes, claimed that Muslims were injecting AIDS through syringes to those who were participating in a festival in Aasodi village. This was further aggravated with the rumour that Muslims were seeking out women as 바카라�soft targets바카라�, Assadi notes. Without verifying the truth behind such claims, the Karvis (one such backward caste fishermen community) went on a rampage against Muslim houses, he adds. The narrative wasn바카라�t always on purely communal lines. In the 1990s, speeches of Sadhvis Rithambara and Uma Bharti, key figures in the Ram temple movement, were widely broadcast. They would publicly des­pise women who were 바카라�influenced바카라� by western culture.

Such pitting of communities and ideologies against each other helped consolidate a solid base for Hindutva, Assadi notes. For over three decades now, the saffron party has continued to retain power in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada parliamentary constituencies바카라�be it during the Lok Sabha elections or the state assembly elections. In fact, in Dakshina Kannada, the party has not lost a Lok Sabha election since 1991. Despite boasting exceptional literacy rates and development initiatives, these communal narratives from the 80s are found even today.

Recent Communal Tensions

A poem titled 바카라�Work Is Worship바카라� by Rabindranath Tagore and some purported audio clips about the Ram temple were enough to cause tensions at St Gerosa High School, located in the heart of Mangaluru city, says Congress leader M G Hegde. While teaching the poem to students, English teacher Sister Prabha allegedly made derogatory statements against Lord Ram and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say BJP MLAs. She was accused of 바카라�defaming Hindu religion바카라�바카라�an allegation that the teacher and school management strongly deny. Despite no evidence proving that the woman in the audio notes was the same teacher, the school management suspended her amid fears that the situation could turn violent. Later, a case was registered against BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath and others for disrupting peace and harmony.

This April afternoon, the school campus looks almost deserted. But two boards within the Christian school stood out. One said, 바카라�Love your enemies바카라� and the other 바카라�All religions are equal바카라�. The school has maintained that it has continued to relay the same message, of love and equality for all religions, for the last 60 years.

Although the incident is the first in over a decade involving Hindu and Christian communities of Mangaluru, it finds a place in the long list of educational institutions that have been caught in the crossfire of the BJP바카라�s politics over the last few decades. As Vishanz Pinto, former Associate Professor at St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru, notes, the coastal belt of the state is lined with schools which are owned by the Sangh and its functionaries. 바카라�The rise of the population of the minorities is one of the important 바카라�bogeys바카라� of fear created by the rightist groups in India,바카라� he wrote.

It was in these coastal regions where the BJP바카라�s contentious decision of banning hijab in educational institutions was strongly resisted by students two years ago. After months of legal fights, seeking desperate transfers to other educational institutions that allowed hijab in classrooms and some students giving in to the 바카라�dress code바카라�, the government order of 2022 still remains in place.

Although Congress leaders have repeatedly reiterated their opposition to the ban, the government hasn바카라�t yet revoked the order. Although hijab-wearing students now say that the rules have been softened, those who were at the receiving end of the ban in the initial months, say that the damage has been done. One such student recalled her fight. 바카라�It was presented as if we were being rebels and the school was the victim of our actions,바카라� she says. Now a practicing lawyer, the student wonders where her other friends/classmates are. Those who had the means to, moved to other colleges but many dropped out, she says. A fact-finding report by PUCL, which was released in September 2022, notes that while there is little to no official data regarding the number of students who were particularly impacted by the ban, the government stated that the total dropouts of hijab-wearing girls stand at 1,010 because of the hijab ban (or other reasons as well).

Is There a Modi Wave?

The BJP dropped incumbent and firebrand Hindutva MP Nalin Kumar Kateel from the candidate list for the Dakshina Kannada constituency and fielded Brijesh Chowta instead. But none of the posters and placards that were distributed as campaign material during PM Modi바카라�s roadshow in Mangaluru on April 14 had Chowta바카라�s image. They featured Modi, often standing in front of a backdrop of either the Ram temple, the moon along with the Chandrayaan 3 module or a group of women with their hands folded and 바카라�33%바카라� highlighted in bold (referring to the recently passed Women바카라�s Reservation Bill). Even the slogans hurled by supporters were 바카라�PM Modi ki Jai바카라�, 바카라�Amit Shah ki Jai바카라� and 바카라�Jai Shri Ram바카라�.

A closer look at the state바카라�s voting history shows that some constituencies have often been in favour of incumbent MLAs during assembly elections바카라�a trend that was overtly visible in Bengaluru in 2023. Analysts, however, warn against drawing such conclusions between state and general elections. The state has never voted in a similar pattern. While voting during assembly elections last year, Priyanshi (name changed), 25, reiterated that while she prefers a local/regional leader to rule at the state, she is happy with PM Modi and his BJP winning at the centre.

Trail Left by Tensions

Hijab, halal, and 바카라�love jihad바카라� are some terms that are often heard ahead of elections. But locals say there is a relative calm this time. 바카라�Otherwise, if people of different faiths are seen hanging out together, they are often harassed and picked up,바카라� says a local tea vendor. At least 12 such moral policing incidents were reported last year in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. One reason for the relative calm, Congress workers say, is the anti-communal wing launched by the state Congress after coming to power last year.

Despite Modi바카라�s popularity, civil society activists and INDIA bloc parties like the CPI-M and AAP are hoping for a change. At a convention on April 15, a pledge was taken to 바카라�defeat the BJP and its policies바카라�. Jobs, education, health, jailed ministers and people바카라�s concerns in general were some of the points of discussion at the convention. Reviewing the BJP manifesto on the stage, Muneer Katipalla, the State Secretary of DYFI/CPI-M, said: 바카라�It emphasises issues like the Ram Mandir and Article 370, yet fails to address promises ... like two crore jobs annually.바카라�

A similar view was echoed by a college student who was part of the audience. 바카라�It is not that we don바카라�t respect our religion, be it Hinduism or not, but that should not be the top priority of the government when employment opportunities are scarce,바카라� he says. Some at the convention remarked that they don바카라�t see a suitable alternative party currently, but urged others to not vote for the BJP. Others saw some hope in the INDIA bloc.

Civil society organisations, like Bahutva Karnataka, played an important role in Karnataka Congress바카라� win last year, by highlighting the incumbent government바카라�s failed promises. They did not ask voters to vote for Congress or JD (S) but focused on reviewing the performance of the sitting government. Will these organisations, along with INDIA bloc leaders, help sway the tide of Coastal Karnataka this time?

Anisha Reddy in Mangaluru and Udupi

This appeared in the print as 'Coastal Turbulence'