Women in Bengaluru protest Pramod Mutalik’s hate speech against Muslim women https://cjp.org.in/women-in-bengaluru-protest-pramod-mutaliks-hate-speech-against-muslim-women/  Days after the Hindutva extremist leader and head of the Sri Ram Sena Pramod Muthalik urged Hindu men to “get 10 Muslim girls for losing one Hindu girl to Love-Jihad, and declared that such Hindu men would be provided security and employment by his organisation, ordinary citizens protested outside the office of Director General of Police (DGP), Praveen Sood, protesting against the derogatory comment made by Muthalik.

Muslim women have been increasingly targeted with vile sexual threats, both online and on the ground. The blatantly abusive behaviour is often spearheaded with impunity by right-wing extremists and socio-culturally influential members of the majority community. It has been made clear above that the authorities have full power to take action against anti-woman and derogatory comments made by Muthalik. Despite this, no action has been taken. It is also pertinent to note that had such comments been made by a person who was not backed by the majority community, the actions followed such a statement had been different.

If this incident is ignored, even after there are directions laid down by the Supreme Court, it will add on to the current environment of unsafety that exists for the women and the marginalized in India. Such state sponsored impunity may make Muslim women more and more vulnerable in the social and public sphere.

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