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Journalism of Courage
Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s remarks on Wednesday of a “growing religious divide” in Karnataka has found resonance in parts of the corporate world even as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday called for “restraint before going public on social issues”.
On Wednesday, in what marked the first significant corporate voice of concern over the recent events in Karnataka – from the hijab row to efforts by Hindutva groups to keep out Muslim traders from temple festivals, to calls for a ban on halal meat – Mazumdar-Shaw had tweeted: “Karnataka has always forged inclusive economic development and we must not allow such communal exclusion — if IT/BT became communal it would destroy our global leadership.” She also tagged Bommai and said: “Please resolve this growing religious divide.”
In a subsequent tweet, she posted, “Our CM is a very progressive leader. I am sure he will resolve this issue soon.”
Speaking in the Assembly on Thursday, Bommai said, “We have been living with our beliefs. Everyone should cooperate in maintaining peace and order. Karnataka is known for peace and progress… When social issues arise, there is a possibility for us to discuss and resolve it. So before going public, everyone should observe restraint.”
Reacting to the controversy triggered by the Biocon chief’s tweet, R K Misra, co-founder of Yulu Bike, a start-up that provides electric bike services in cities, told The Indian Express that Mazumdar-Shaw was right in expressing her concerns. “What she says is right. We all have to work together to see that this does not go out of hand,” Misra said.
T V Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital Partners and former Infosys chief financial officer, said there is a need to settle differences and prevent the destruction of communal harmony. “All religious institutions have the right to decide who can set up shops or do business inside their premises. In many Hindu temples, Muslims used to do business. They broke the trust of temple authorities when they shut shop protesting against the High Court decision on the hijab issue, prodded on by the PFI (Popular Front of India) and other Islamic radical organisations. This angered the temple management who decided that they have been let down and will not have them within temple premises during festivals,” Pai said, adding, “Members of both communities should settle differences and not allow radicals like PFI to destroy communal harmony. But the government should ensure the right of everybody to do business is protected,” he added.
Vishwaprasad Alva, founder of bio-medical firm Skanray Technologies, said, ” We have recently seen a lot of companies grappling with problems of some groups demanding special prayer rooms and breaks during working hours for religious rituals… Values are eroding but people seem to get more religious and violent in their pursuit of God…Retaliation with a ban on traders of a particular faith is not the right thing to do in any case,” Vishwaprasad Alva said.
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