Bengaluru, 8 May

Various Muslim organisations in Karnataka on Friday said they will organise a convention on 16 May and release a report titled 'What Did the Congress Government Say? What Did It Do? What Next?'

No politicians will be invited to the 'Karnataka Muslim Convention', they said. The report on the three-year functioning of the Congress government will be submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Ministers, and MLAs after its release.

This was decided at a meeting of major Muslim organisations, associations, Ulema organisations, federations, and representatives of the ad hoc committee of the Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkoota held on Wednesday, where serious dissatisfaction was reportedly expressed over the manner in which the Congress government has treated Muslims.

“During the meeting, a detailed report prepared by members of the KRMO ad hoc committee’s report preparation team and experts from various fields was presented,” it said.

“The report covered the three-year functioning of the Congress government, the promises made to Muslims on ten key issues, the extent to which those promises were fulfilled or remain unfulfilled, alleged discrimination faced by Muslims in representation under the Congress government, and the community’s current demands before the government,” a statement said.

Suggestions and recommendations were received from all participants regarding various issues mentioned in the report, such as the hijab ban, reservation, hate speech and hate crimes, budget allocation, political representation, the Waqf issue, the cow slaughter prohibition law, the anti-conversion law, and scholarships and grants in the education sector.

The release said participants also expressed the opinion that if the government and the Congress party continue the manner in which it is treating Muslims, the community should keep its options open.