Mangaluru, Mar 20: Demanding swift justice in the sexual abuse case of a three-and-half-year-old girl by a school van driver that took place in Thokkottu a week ago, hundreds of agitators staged a mass protest under the banner of Samyukta Muslim Jamaat, Dakshina Kannada, in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in the heart of the city on Friday.
Disappointed over the lack of swift response by the district administration in handling the case and failing to take action against Mangalore One School, which apparently tried to cover up the sexual abuse case, the protestors demanded police action against the school authorities.
Addressing the protestors, English lecturer and activist Pattabhirama Somayaji said that in view of the irresponsible conduct of the school where the girl was studying, the government should cancel the permit given to the management to run the school.
On behalf of the protestors, he demanded that the school management committee should tender an unconditional apology to the public for failing to show an interest in the welfare of the child and making attempts to cover up the sexual abuse. The district administration should take appropriate legal action against the school management and authorities, he urged.
President of Universal Welfare Forum Rafeeuddin Kudroli said that although the accused in the case of sexual abuse of the child had been arrested, no action had been taken against the school which was headed by a retired police officer. Meanwhile, there have been no reactions from the chief minister, home minister or the district in-charge minister in this serious issue. Even a week after the crime, the district in-charge minister has not visited the hospital or enquired about the child and her family, he said, accusing the state government of failing to protect its citizens.
He said that if the same continued to take place, the so-called secular party which was currently non-existent in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, would lose its power even in Karnataka. Referring to the Sangh Parivar stopping students from going on a study tour and unleashing violence in Mudipu, he went on to claim that the communal forces were provided with police protection.
Editor of Sanmarga weekly A K Kukkila said that there should be a deliberation on the crimes occurring in the district to ensure than untoward and communal incidents ceased to take place. Much like the mob-lynching and subsequent death of an accused in a sexual assault case in Dimapur, Assam, the trend in Dakshina Kannada is shifting towards action taken by moral police on the basis of the identity of the perpetrators and not based on the nature of the crime involved. If this communal mindset is left unquestioned, there will be a rise in crimes in the district, he said.
President of Samyukta Muslim Jamaat, Dakshina Kannada Ashraf K made the introductory remarks and demanded swift justice to the family of the girl child and action against the school authorities.
Popular Front of India (PFI) leader Mohammed Haneef, Muslim Central Committee vice-president Hameed Kandak and member Ali Hasan, High court advocate Muzafar, Campus Front of India state general secretary Muhammed Thufail and several others were present during the protest.
Also Read: Sexual abuse of nursery student: Cops accused of violating POCSO Act
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