ANTI-MUSLIM BEHAVIOUR THAT IS SPREADING IN THE VILLAGES: Gubbi, Tumkur District

(Based on an audio clipping sent by Yatish, Tumkur who talked to Muslim residents in the Gubbi area)

There are no corona cases either in Tumkur district or in any surrounding area within ten
kilometres. It was wrong on the part of Muslim friends to have attended the Jammatat Delhi. There is no contact between those who went to Delhi and us. But it is rather sad that people around us are spreading rumours that the corona is being spread because of Muslims. This has meant that our relationships have changed. Earlier, people would come to the ‘motor winding’ shop and would appreciate them for their work and would get the motor winding work done by them. But now even when they go to the shop, they say “you are a Muslim, you have corona” and keep their motor at a distance and ask them to repair it.

The second man’s experience: A Muslim man had gone to bring rations. According to rules, he was standing one metre away, but people who were standing there taunted him saying “you are a Muslim, you have corona”, and pushed him a little further. He took his rations with a heavy heart and returned.

The third man’s experience: He was doing business with tamarind trees. The tamarind was now ripe and ready for plucking. When he went to collect the tamarind he felt thirsty and went to a nearby house to ask for water. They said, ‘”you are a Muslim, you have corona – do not come”, and closed the door without giving water. This was what he shared.

This article was written in Kannada by a village resident. Translations from Kannada to English were done by Ms. Srijaya Char.