Muslim orgs seek answers from Karnataka govt over unfulfilled promises

Federation of Muslim Organisations in Karnataka questions Congress government over unfulfilled promises at Bengaluru convention.

Bengaluru: The Federation of Muslim Organisations in Karnataka has questioned the state government over what it described as unfulfilled promises during its three years in power, stating that several key concerns of the Muslim community remain unresolved.

Convention focused on unresolved Muslim community issues

At a convention organised at Town Hall in Bengaluru on Saturday, May 16, under the theme, “What promises did the Congress government make? What has it delivered? What next?”, leaders from nearly 48 Muslim organisations representing both North and South Karnataka demanded clarity and accountability from the government.

Speakers at the gathering expressed concern over issues such as Waqf disputes, educational opportunities, reservation-related matters and the hijab issue, saying these continue to remain major challenges for the community.

Joint spokesperson of the federation, Tanveer Ahmed, said the convention was organised without the involvement of political leaders and succeeded through public participation alone.

He alleged that fake messages and misleading posts were circulated on social media over the past two days in an attempt to derail the programme. However, the organisers decided to continue with the event, calling it a matter of community unity.

Organisers deny political agenda behind Bengaluru meet

He said the people who attended the convention had come voluntarily and not due to political influence or inducements, which reflected growing awareness and concern within the community.

Tanveer Ahmed also criticised what he described as a tendency among some community members to limit engagement to meetings and photo opportunities with political leaders.

Merely meeting the chief minister or deputy chief minister would not solve community issues, he said, adding that proper consultation, structured discussions and transparent processes were necessary.

According to him, legislators and ministers often function within limited circles without consulting activists, legal experts or wider community representatives. The objective of the convention, he said, was to encourage broader public participation and accountability.

Organisers deliberately avoided inviting politicians or film personalities to ensure that the focus remained entirely on community issues. Ahmed noted that the strong participation, despite the absence of “star attractions”, showed that ordinary people were willing to seriously engage with matters affecting their future.

Joint convenor Harees Siddiqui said people from districts including Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Hubballi, Davanagere, Mandya and Hassan attended the event at their own expense. While acknowledging that attendance was lower than expected, he blamed misinformation campaigns, including fake posters claiming the event had been postponed or cancelled.

He clarified that the convention was not directed against the Congress party, Muslim ministers or MLAs, nor was it intended to support any political party. The sole aim, he said, was to discuss unresolved issues affecting the Muslim community and plan future action.

Detailed report prepared on education, Waqf and reservation concerns

Another joint convenor, Suhail Maroor, said the organisers had prepared a detailed 100-page report after consulting experts and community representatives. The document reportedly covers 10 major issues, including education, reservation, Waqf administration and laws related to cow slaughter.

The report, published in Urdu, Kannada and English, will be distributed to district and taluk-level representatives across Karnataka. Local groups would then be encouraged to seek action from MLAs, ministers and elected representatives on these issues, he added.

Maroor said the organisers hoped to build public pressure similar to the mobilisation seen during the movement against the hijab ban. He stressed that the initiative was not about supporting or opposing individuals, but about collective action for the welfare of the community.

Several community leaders and activists, including Yaseen Malpe, Shivasundar, Jaleel Nadaf, Maulana Ateequr Rahman, advocate Muzaffar, KA Ashraf, Rafiuddin Kudroli, Merajuddin Patel and Inayathulla Shambandri, were present at the convention.