Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw bats for communal harmony, appeals to CM Bommai to end 'exclusion'

Reacting to the brewing controversy in Karnataka over banning Muslim traders from setting up stalls near Hindu temples during festivals, especially in the wake of the hijab row that shook the state, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw took to Twitter to express her anxiety over the issue of “communal exclusion”.

It may be noted that no corporate honcho from Bengaluru — home to numerous start-ups and tech firms including Infosys and Wipro — has made any remark till date on the growing communal issues in Karnataka.

In her tweet, Mazumdar-Shaw, who has always been vocal about issues related to good governance, economic policies, lack of infrastructure etc., said that Karnataka had always encouraged inclusive economic development and never propagated “communal exclusion”. And if the IT industry became communal it would destroy their global leadership, she added. Shaw urged the state Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to resolve this “growing religious divide” in the state.

Replying to a Twitter user, who had commented on her tweet, the biotech entrepreneur however pointed out that “Bommai is a very progressive leader” and she was convinced that he would resolve this issue soon.

She even quoted Bommai as saying once that “we need to focus on growth wings not right or left wings. They are ignorant and hence, irrational and senseless”.

Also read: What’s halal meat? What’s Hindutva groups’ beef with it?

Recently, right-wing groups have been demanding a ban on halal meat and calling for bans on Muslim traders setting up stalls at temple premises or at temple fairs in parts of Karnataka. The state government brushed off this ban call as a reaction to the hijab controversy. And the CM said that he would study the matter before giving the government’s stand on the issue.

This hullabaloo over halal meat comes in the wake of massive protests staged for and against the hijab in the state. On March 15, the Karnataka High Court, upheld the government ban on wearing hijab in education institutes that have prescribed a uniform. The court ruled that wearing of the hijab does not form essential religious practice in Islam. This has already created a lot of anxiety and unease among people over the growing religious divide in the state.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has in fact approached the Supreme Court challenging the Karnataka high court verdict which had dismissed the petitions seeking permission to wear hijab inside the classroom.