On Tuesday, an event organised by the West Kolakeri Village Development Committee in the Kodagu district of Karnataka received sharp criticism after a video of a ‘burqa dance’ by students went viral on social media. The event was hosted on the occasion of the completion of 75 years of the committee on May 28 and 29.
According to the local reports, some of the students wore burqas and performed an entertainer sequence on the Kodava Valaga music at the cultural event, the video of which went viral over social media. The video has however attracted sharp criticism from the community.
कर्नाटक: कार्यक्रमातील बुरखा डान्समुळे गोंधळ; दुखावल्या
— News18Lokmat (@News18lokmat) May 31, 2022
मुस्लीम बांधवांच्या धार्मिक भावना pic.twitter.com/JKDYQZLLvZ
Islamists enraged over the viral video of the burqa dance
The Islamists, who were hurt by the performance, claimed that their religious sentiments were hurt and demanded an apology from the committee. Asfar Kodlipet, State General Secretary, SDPI Karnataka also called for legal action against the community. “I urge the prosecution to file a voluntary case against those who have committed an act of disrespect to the community by dressing shamefully at the diamond jubilee of the Rural Development Association in Kodagu district”, his tweet in Kannada roughly read.
ಮಾನ್ಯ @KodaguSp ರವರೇ ಕೊಡಗು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಕೂಳಕೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಸಂಘದ ವಜ್ರಮಹೋತ್ಸವದ ಸಂಧರ್ಭ ಮುಸ್ಲಿಂ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಉಡುಗೆ ತೊಟ್ಟು ಅವಮಾನಕರ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಸಮಾಜದ ಬಾಂಧವರ ಭಾವನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕೆರಳಿಸುವ ಕೃತ್ಯ ಎಸಗಿರುವವರ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಸ್ವಯಂಪ್ರೇರಿತ ಪ್ರಕರಣ ದಾಖಲಿಸಿ ಕಾನೂನು ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ@DCKodagu pic.twitter.com/nlhDX1eK63
— afsarkodlipet (@afsarkodlipet) May 29, 2022
Another Islamist stung by the burqa dance tweeted: “Sheer mockery of #Burkha in a stage program at #Kodagu dist’ arranged by ‘West Kolakeri Gramabhivriddhi Sangha’ presided by Katoleri Kuttappa on its diamond jubilee celebration on May 29. This program was supposed to be attended by BJP MLA K.G Bopayya, a BJP & Congress MLCs.”
Sheer mockery of #Burkha in a stage program at #Kodagu dist' arranged by 'West Kolakeri Gramabhivriddhi Sangha' presided by Katoleri Kuttappa on its diamond jubilee celebration on May 29. This program was supposed to be attended by BJP MLA K.G Bopayya, a BJP & Congress MLC's.
— Zainulabid.K.A. AndolanJeevi #AbidZain (@Zainulabidka) May 29, 2022
Still another Islamist demanded strict legal action against the performers for “creating unrest in society by making a mockery of a society/community dress.”
ಒಂದು ಸಮಾಜ/ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಉಡುಗೆ ತೊಡುಗೆ ಯನ್ನು ಗೇಲಿ ಮಾಡುವ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನವನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿ ಸಮಾಜದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಶಾಂತಿ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿದ ಇವರ ವಿರುದ್ದ ಕಠಿಣ ಕಾನೂನು ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಿ, ಸನ್ಮಾನ ಕೊಡಗು ಜಿಲ್ಲಾಡಳಿತ.@DCKodagu @KodaguSp @SPKodagu @khaleelcreative @ameenmohisinadv @afsarkodlipet @AbdulMajeedSDPI h
— Mohammed Furkhan (@Mohamme24939601) May 29, 2022
Reportedly, MLC Veena Achaiah was also present at the event. The organizers called for a press meet on May 30 and apologized for the incident. “A few kids danced wearing burqa as part of the entertainment program. However, this was not hosted to hurt any religious sentiments,” said K Muddaiah, president of the committee.
The President further clarified that MLC Veena Achaiah was present for the inaugural ceremony but was not present during the burqa dance. The committee stated that there was communal harmony in the village and that the event or the dance was not organized with the intention of hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslims.
